1 hour ago, JSar said:

They haven't rolled out the new app for all ships yet. I mean... the APP is out and you can log in regardless of which ship you will be on. BUT... they actually have a release date for when the app will be available on specific ships. I bring that up because... maybe... the menus won't be on the app for your ship until the app has been launched FOR the ship? I dunno... I just think it is stupid to NOT have at least the regular menus on the app, even if they find it difficult to update the "daily" special type of items.

 

But according to the articles I read Sky rolled out first, then Encore, Viva, Breakaway, Jewel and Sawn sometime in September (so maybe they are all rolled out by now?), then Jade, Bliss, Epic, Pima, Joy, Pride of America in October, then Escape, Spirit, Sun, and Pearl in November, and finally Starr, Gem, and Getaway in December. And you said you were on the SUN, correct? So... theoretically all the features for the Sun aren't loaded into the app yet.

 

Unfortunately - I have NO IDEA what is supposed to be "ship specific". The articles really don't give much clarity. Hopefully when I sail on the Gem in December - the menus might be loaded?

But there were some people on board that could see the menus in the MDRs on the Sun.  I should have asked one of them but I just kept searching on the app.

21 minutes ago, Grumpella said:

NCL released a new app last month.  Someone in my facebook group said he read somewhere that once on the ship, the menus will be available for the complimentary dining restaurants.  NCL will be phasing out their old app.  I am on the Bliss in December, so I will see.  I did get the new app and don't like the appearance of it as much.  lol

I disembarked the Sun last week - I never found the MDR menus on the app.  If they are there, I couldn't find them and it wasn't for a lack of looking!  But I will tell you - if you see walleye on the MDR menu - get it!  It's delish!

On 9/3/2024 at 2:53 PM, gdy0354 said:

just off Gem. No idea why menus aren't on app like other cruise lines. When boarding there were plenty of early specialty dinner times available. Pre cruise not much was listed as available early. Go straight to reservation desk when getting on board.

But if you want specific days, you need to book in advance.  We were on a 9 night cruise on the Sun.  I chose the nights I did for specialties very carefully.

2 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

Thank you.  Chemo brain sucks.

I have a few simple needs on board, but I cannot remember nor find the phone number.  Evidently I am not using the correct wording.  I need a few things supplied in my cabin.  Would anyone be so kind as to give that phone number please.

On 8/16/2024 at 6:03 PM, 2bc cruisers said:

Good God, I’ve got 2 15-day cruises this coming jan/feb.  I’m going to need an ozempic prescription afterwards. I gained pounds just looking at those menus 

We take the stairs a lot and it seems to be a wash.

We booked with Chilkoot for September.  We will do the tour up in a shuttle bus, then back on the train.  We've done their tour before.  Less expensive than NCL and a much more personalized bus tour.  If you want to stop for photos, just yell out and the driver stops.

6 minutes ago, ajtraveler66 said:

I did one that wasn't nearly that long.  And it was great!  Check to see if there's an option of shorter length.  I've done it twice, and I'd do it again!  (Seems it was only 3-4 hours total).

going further up offers many other options - like lunch at Wild Adventure and hanging out with the sled dogs plus the museum.

14 hours ago, capecruzer said:

I rented a car from Klondike for an upcoming Aug/Sept cruise for $330.  We'll do the train first (8-11am) and then do some sightseeing via car on our own for the rest of the day.

It's the specific date that's key.  

IMO, platinum isn't that big of a deal.  Nice, yes.  But not a big deal.

11 hours ago, zqvol said:

Nothing is inexpensive in Alaska. 

Very true!

14 hours ago, FLAlaska said:

Wow! I did it 10 years ago and it was nowhere that much

Yeah, it was a great deal in 2015.  Just not on our day in September this year.

2 hours ago, Teechur said:

I just checked the price for September:  $332.75 including taxes and fees. 👌

Not for our day.  And the only options were an SUV or minivan.  So for a rando day, sure.  Just not our day.

On 7/24/2024 at 8:46 PM, FLAlaska said:

In Skagway, my favorite is always renting a car and driving up to Emerald Lake.(mostly you are driving alongside the train) You can follow Murrays Guide (you can find it on google). Love being able to that at our own pace and stopping when we wished

renting a car for the day is now running about $600 (taxes and fees included).  That's cray-cray, IMO.  We did it a few years ago for less than $150.

We went with Alaska Galore in 2011 and it was good.  They are now owned by the same company that owns Harv & Marv's.  I think the boat we were on was for 12 passengers but check to see what their options are now.

We did a northbound and 9 days on our own.  We took the cruiseline bus to Anchorage via a wildlife park and picked the car up there.  We stayed in one of the Princess lodges for a few nights up around Denali.  We went in the park for 2 days plus did a rafting trip.  We didn't go to Fairbanks, as there was plenty to see and do even closer to Anchorage.  We returned the car to the Anchorage airport and flew home from there.

Good grief!  I took more than a couple thousand photos!

I'm expecting all this to be cleared up by the time we get there in September.

5 hours ago, omahabob said:

I lived in England for four years, and my British friends couldn't have cared less what the difference was. We didn't hang with the aristocracy.

High tea isn't for the upper class or aristocracy like it sound.  It's actually for the working class, who are working during afternoon tea.  High tea is in the evening after work and is with savory dishes, not just little petite sandwiches.  It also has the sweets and tea components, too.

6 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Nah. I'm thinking specifically about the stand alone shower in 13902 on Getaway. I was just comparing my experience creating apocalyptic floods in showers to yours in tubs. 

Thankfully, I've never flooded a tub on a ship or otherwise!

18 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

You've never seen me shower on a cruise ship! The floor gets absolutely flooded, because of those d@mned crappily sealed glass doors.

You have this problem in a bathtub shower?

18 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Tub too low? How high do you think the showers are? Lol

When you take a bath, you generally run the water first.  Once you get in, the water is displaced significantly and can go over the sides if you estimated incorrectly.  As long as the drain is open during a shower, I think you're good.

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

As others have suggested, Victoria is deserving of more of your vacation time than the brief stopover that foreign flagged cruise ships must perform in order to comply with the U.S. Passenger Vessel Service Act (PVSA).  An alternative might be to book an Alaska cruise which either sails from or to Vancouver.  That way you can spend a few days in Vancouver or on Vancouver Island (or both).  You also may want to venture into Alaska's interior in addition to sailing along the state's Southeast Panhandle.  You could visit Anchorage, explore Denali Park, and travel the scenic Alaska Railroad at one end of your cruise, then visit Butchart Gardens, have tea at the Empress, or explore Vancouver's Gastown at the other end of your cruise.

First, thanks for not answering my question.

This is my 4th cruise to Alaska.  Two have sailed from Vancouver and we spent extra days there.  China Town, Gastown, Stanley Park including the aquarium, etc.  We've done one one-way and spent an additional 10 days inland in AK on our own.  We spent a few days inside Denali and actually saw Denali 4-5 times (only 30% of people who go actually get to see it), including white water rafting.  Went to the Iditarod training facility and played with the puppies.  Went to the Eklutna Village and spent a whole day at the Alaskan Native Heritage Center.  Etc, etc.

So been there, done that.  Have the t-shirts, Christmas ornaments and jackets.

We sailed the Joy in September of 2023 from NYC to Quebec.  We loved the Observation Lounge but were told they will be cutting it in half and adding more cabins (more revenue), which is sad since it was such a lovely area.  Most go on the cruises in this area in hoped of seeing the leaves change colors and we were too early for that but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Plan for cool/cold weather and some rain.

I haven't been to Bermuda but I would think of Caribbean cruises as more beachy than Bermuda, though it has the pretty pink sand.

On 7/8/2024 at 8:58 PM, mking8288 said:

FWIW, will be cruising Alaska at the end of August, not NCL however ... 10 nights out of Vancouver with Victoria being the last stop on the return.  Docking/arrival is 13:00 and all abroad is 21:30 for 22:00 to Vancouver for early morning disembarkation.  Not subject to PVSA, is my understanding and that ship pax can arrange to disembark with luggage and stay in Victoria, if they choose to & plan ahead with Cunard's approval.   

 

We also looked at the Sun's Alaska itinerary / option out of Seattle, WA ... 

 

With early Sunday afternoon arrival, multiple shorex options are available, including several with high tea experience included.  FYI only - this is one of them - 

 

City Drive & Tea at Pendray Inn

• 124.20 USD for adult
• 0 USD for infant
• 59.40 USD for children
• Port Victoria, BC, Canad
• Duration - 2.5 Hours
• Activity level - low

Take a city drive through some of Victoria’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, Uplands and Oak Bay. Along the way, admire the stunning scenic views of Mount Baker and the Gulf and San Juan Islands from Victoria’s Marine Drive. A photograph stop will be made at Mt Tolmie to enjoy panoramic views of Victoria and its surrounding sea and mountain panoramas. In downtown Victoria's Inner Harbour area, you’ll pass by Chinatown and the magnificent Legislature building. One of Victoria’s iconic landmarks is the Pendray Inn and Tea House. This Victorian era manor captures the essence of Old Victoria's elegance, sophistication and charm. Built in 1890, it stands as one of the city's oldest buildings and today serves as a charming boutique hotel. Here, you’ll savour a selection of finger sandwiches, sumptuous sweet treats, and scones served with cream and jam, all accompanied by a welcome cup of tea.

 

This excursion will operate by coach. The dress code at Pendray Inn is smart casual. Ripped jeans, short shorts, cut off trousers, beach wear, flip flops or baseball caps are not permitted. For the comfort and consideration of all diners, the hotel requests that mobile phones are switched off during tea. The tea service is not exclusive to Cunard.

That sounds like an interesting excursion that I would take but it's not a real high tea.  That would be afternoon tea.  My British friends educated me on the difference, though either would be acceptable for me.

Unfortunately, that is not offered for us and Pendray Inn closes before we dock.  It does look like there's a place called The Oaks Restaurant that is open late enough.  I'm in the process of finding out if they will serve afternoon tea in the evening.  They don't do a high tea.

On 7/8/2024 at 8:58 PM, mking8288 said:

FWIW, will be cruising Alaska at the end of August, not NCL however ... 10 nights out of Vancouver with Victoria being the last stop on the return.  Docking/arrival is 13:00 and all abroad is 21:30 for 22:00 to Vancouver for early morning disembarkation.  Not subject to PVSA, is my understanding and that ship pax can arrange to disembark with luggage and stay in Victoria, if they choose to & plan ahead with Cunard's approval.   

 

We also looked at the Sun's Alaska itinerary / option out of Seattle, WA ... 

 

With early Sunday afternoon arrival, multiple shorex options are available, including several with high tea experience included.  FYI only - this is one of them - 

 

City Drive & Tea at Pendray Inn

• 124.20 USD for adult
• 0 USD for infant
• 59.40 USD for children
• Port Victoria, BC, Canad
• Duration - 2.5 Hours
• Activity level - low

Take a city drive through some of Victoria’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, Uplands and Oak Bay. Along the way, admire the stunning scenic views of Mount Baker and the Gulf and San Juan Islands from Victoria’s Marine Drive. A photograph stop will be made at Mt Tolmie to enjoy panoramic views of Victoria and its surrounding sea and mountain panoramas. In downtown Victoria's Inner Harbour area, you’ll pass by Chinatown and the magnificent Legislature building. One of Victoria’s iconic landmarks is the Pendray Inn and Tea House. This Victorian era manor captures the essence of Old Victoria's elegance, sophistication and charm. Built in 1890, it stands as one of the city's oldest buildings and today serves as a charming boutique hotel. Here, you’ll savour a selection of finger sandwiches, sumptuous sweet treats, and scones served with cream and jam, all accompanied by a welcome cup of tea.

 

This excursion will operate by coach. The dress code at Pendray Inn is smart casual. Ripped jeans, short shorts, cut off trousers, beach wear, flip flops or baseball caps are not permitted. For the comfort and consideration of all diners, the hotel requests that mobile phones are switched off during tea. The tea service is not exclusive to Cunard.