bonvoyagie

For our last trip we started using small backpacks along with a small carry on and a large suitcase. At the port we have all meds, toiletries electronics etc in the backpack and check the other two with the stevedores. Our cruise last year was in a suite and we were allowed access around 2 and our bags showed up around 4. I don't think being in a suite made any difference in bag delivery as we got ours along with all the rooms around us. We did get twice a day service from the steward.

We took the last 14 day Boston to Quebec and back to Boston on the Dawn in 2016. Back then we only repeated Halifax which was fine as there is lots to see and do there. Sydney is an interesting area we rented a car and drove out to the Alexander Bell museum and then drove up the coast. We booked most of our tours privately using Trip Advisor and tourist guides I sent for. Most of the time we used taxi style tours where it was just us in a car being shown around by a local. I know that we got better tours and spent the same amount of money as the ships tours. All the companies had back to ship on time guaranteed in writing.

Even though we were on the last sailing in late September into October we were just barely able to see some color.

Over the course of a year I have seen the cruise I booked drop 4k between a real price drop and different sales. And yes I have made hay with my savings.

NCL uses Temsco

We are scheduled for the Jan 5th cruise and have the same question. Especially after the cruises this year. I just wish NCL was more transparent about the changes in the itinerary and if they can happen again.

We also booked on deck 10, cabins below and spa overhead. 

The concierge has quite a bit of pull with the guests in the suites. We have recently been granted access to the haven sundeck for glacier viewing in AK. We have also been able to get same day reservations and get refunds on tours one of us missed. And no we don't travel in the Haven but in other suites.

On 4/28/2024 at 10:19 AM, Nikita4 said:

Whats with the Pride of America today? She is underway from Pearl Harbour to Honolulu instead of Maui.

Just a guess but they sometimes use Pearl for repairs.

1 hour ago, erisajd said:

how much are you saving???  Because if your excursion misses the return you're on your own for getting to the next port! 

 

This is true, however it has been my experience that in both Canada and Alaska the tour operators who survived the pandemic have solid reputations and policies that guarantee you back to the ship or getting you the to the next port.  

When we were in Skagway last year they had shuttle busses that took us from the ship to the end of the pier and back. All of the excursions met at the end of the pier. In Skagway I would book a tour with Chilkoot Tours, they provide better White Pass RR tours to Carcross and bus return than the cruise line. Glacier Bay is amazing and most of the action occurs on the left or Port side of the ship, the rangers provide a guided tour on the way in and a history lecture on the way out. With NCL docking at Ward Cove in Ketchikan, plan on needing extra time for shuttle busses to town, however they also have a good store there in addition to what you can find in town. This is also a port to learn about native culture - in addition to the lumberjack show and Creek Street.

I highly suggest that you sit down as a family and review the tour choices and chose ones that interest the entire family. That said, you may also decide to split up if you can't come to an agreement.

in reading the NCL description of the tour it flat out says iced teas and savory treats that are very different from the afternoon tea offerings.

I have seen in the past where people who organize the meet and greets are given VIP status by the cruiseline. This allowed them to have similar privileges as suite guests such as lunch in Cagney's and breakfast in Modernaro.

51 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

So you and your traveling partner got six bags of laundry total?

Yes

we have been on one 21 day cruise since becoming Platinum members, on it we were each allowed one free laundry bag each week. As for the meals members get one set per cruise. The FAS meals vary with cruise length and cabin type.

I would cancel the excursion and wait to see what the weather is like. Too many times the port is foggy which really limits the view from the top. I also believe that the tickets are cheaper at the tram.

The town was afraid of breech of contract law suits so they are honoring ship reservations made prior to the ban vote.

OK I was only looking at cruise time tables website.

Well I hope you make your hotel reservations in Vancouver early, rooms around the cruise terminal book early. As for flights, I suggest that you start by looking at the web to get an idea of what is available, bear in mind the ship docks in Seward and it takes a few hours to get to Anchorage.

I see that the Star sails from Buenos Aires to Rio in late March the next cruise is late April in Europe. Anyone know what is happening in between?

Go to guest services and ask for extra room keys. These keys only open rooms and cannot be used to charge things onboard.

There are several threads about this here on cc. The most recent answer to this question is that the SN suites butler service ends at midnight. The SM suites have a 24 hr butler.

7 hours ago, thegrandhorn said:

We are on the Jewel July 1 -8 southbound, with the land portion the week before, June 25 - July 1. Where does the tour stay during the Denali portion of the tour? Is it possible to book a helicopter flight out of Denali? How would this be done? What is the name of the tour company that runs them?

TIA

We stayed at the Denali Bluffs Lodge and the helicopter place is at the bottom of the hill next to the Lodge's driveway. We bought our tickets through the tour company although you could also buy them direct from Temsco helicopters. We paid around 500.00 each for a 20 min ride to the glacier, about 20 min on the glacier and 20 min return.

Well we are on the Jan 19 cruise next year. Hope they have things fixed by then.

Once onboard they do not care too much about where you sleep and hang out. The front desk can provide extra room keys so that you can all get into each others rooms. These are only room keys and will not be able to charge to your account(s). 

One other thing to note is that the ship can also make a difference as to how you can do this. For example on the Jewel class ships, the cabins that can sleep 5 or 6 people are usually suites so only those people registered in those rooms will get the suite perks. I believe that the away and away+ ships also have the same thing. The only ships that do not have havens are the Sun, Sky, Dawn, Star, and Spirit as they are the oldest ships in the fleet.

5 hours ago, rnr4thatsme said:

Anyone have any advice on the best time of year to book an Alaskan cruise on NCL?  Looking at going late June 2025 probably Encore out of Seattle due to time constraints...

For 2025 NCL will have the Joy, Encore, Bliss and Jade in AK. The first three will be working out of Seattle, the Jade will sail between Vancouver and Whittier. 

As for time of year, some of it depends on what you want to see. Weather is always variable . We have sailed in AK mostly in June - both early, mid and late to early July and have had inconsistent weather all four times. The whales are there from spring to late summer so seeing them is a given. Bears too are out of hibernation and on the prowl for food mid summer the salmon runs begin. Eagles are pretty much a given all the time.

Most of the excursions are up and running by mid May, some may have a limited season due to daylight reduction in the spring and fall. 

We did the same itinerary as the Encore on the Pearl back in 2012 also in late June - it was a wonderful trip. If you are into glaciers, then see if you can find a small boat tour of either Dawes or Sawyer Glacier out of Juneau - this will take all of your time in Juneau so you would have to forgo whales and Mendenhall glacier but we did this in 2012 and had a great time - almost better than glacier bay - we saw way more calving on Sawyer than anywhere else.