RN_Prof

Which would you recommend, Totem Bright Historical State Park or Saxman Village? We've walked around Ketchikan already and would like to see more of the surrounding area. While we would like to learn more about the indigenous culture, we don't want it to be the only focus of the trip. Plus, we have some mobility issues, so strenuous hiking is out.

We are sailing the NCL Encore at the end of September. The ship docks at Victoria, BC, Canada, at 8 p.m. and sails at 11:59 p.m. Last time we were at Victoria, we just walked to Beacon Hill Park. I would like to see the city this time, but with the port time being so late, is it worth booking an excursion? Is there much to see downtown?

There is much to see in Ketchikan by walking around, so if this is your first trip to Alaska, I recommend catching the NCL shuttle. We did the duck tour on our own when we visited Ketchikan, which provided a nice overview of the town. We are taking our second trip to Alaska this fall with NCL, and I am considering booking a trip to Saxman Native Village or Totem Bright State Historical Park through the ship for peace of mind.

If this is a one-time-use item, why not rent or borrow a pair?

I have a problem with balance and use a rollator when walking and sitting in long lines (like waiting to get on a plane or cruise ship). However, when my back is doing well, I like to hike where the rollator will not work and use hiking poles. We are cruising in Alaska, and my hiking poles do not collapse small enough to fit in my suitcase. Even though I will have my rollator, do you think the airlines will consider my hiking poles a mobility aid and not consider them part of my "carry-on" luggage (I already bring a backpack and a small shoulder bag).

Has anyone stayed at the Belltown Inn? Found a good deal for under $200/night

We've had trouble getting taxis or Ubers big enough between suitcases, carry-on bags, and rollators. We usually need an SUV, which often needs to be ordered in advance and can be expensive.

My wife and I use rollators (walkers with 4-wheels & seats). Any recommendations for transportation from the airport to hotel? Our flight will get in around 7 pm on a Friday.

I did not bring my binoculars and did not need them. When we were sailing, there was not much to see.

All the Thermal pools are nice, but my favorite is the Pearl. Besides the co-ed space in the middle, there are separate male and female areas with a hot tub, cold plunge pool, steam room, and sauna (over the flying bridge so you can see along the side of the ship). The spa is not as big as the other ships, but you are away from the loud, crowded pools.

The Pearl The Pearl is our favorite ship; it has the amenities we want (a thermal pool in the spa), but not too big. She would be the perfect ship if they could add a covered observation area like on the Encore. Nevertheless, like all of us, she is beginning to show her age with little blemishes here and there. Also, we did not find the crew as a whole to be the best of the best. However, as working people, we greatly appreciate any service we receive, and the crew is hard-working. While the headline productions were well put together, they did not have many of them, only three for a seven-day cruise. The best was Legends featuring Tina Turner, Micheal Jackson, and Elvis. We spent most of our time listening to Louise, the piano player, who had fun sing-a-longs and tributes to Elton John and Billy Joel. Doug, the guitarist, also had good sets. The band Funky Roots was good, but it was not our style. We enjoyed the 80’s dance party even though our ailments prevented us from dancing. The entertainment staff always had activities going, like origami and arts and crafts. However, we spent most days ashore or reading in the spa. The food is okay at NCL. Our best meal was at Teppanyaki, and we enjoyed the experience. We felt the food at Moderno Churrascaria was not any better than the main dining rooms for dinner. My wife likes O’Sheehans for breakfast, and we both like going there for lunch. I prefer the buffet for breakfast. Getting around the ship is not difficult with walkers, but getting an elevator during embarkation and port days can be a challenge. I saw a few people quickly shut the elevator when they saw us with walkers. We did find that NCL took some elevators out of general service at busy times so that they could control them. However, I wish NCL had communicated which elevators they took out of service or had a staff member on each floor. We had a hard time to getting down to one deck just to be put on another elevator to get down to the disembarkment deck.

To provide a little background, my wife and I are both in our 50s. I have a disability following an accident that injured my back. I normally use a cane for stability but use a rollator for walking long distances or when I anticipate being in lines for extended periods. My wife experiences knee and ankle pain when walking extended distances and recently started using a rollator herself. We frequently cruise with NCL; this was our fourth time on the Pearl. This cruise was the second time we sailed a Northeast Canada/New England cruise, but we experienced many new ports and the first time sailing in the fall. We had beautiful weather for the cruise but missed fall color. The locals estimated the fall color would peak in about two weeks. We flew into Quebec City a day early, and getting through customs was quick and easy (I registered the night before). Our limo driver met us just outside the helpful terminal. Quebec City is beautiful, and we had nice weather. We stayed at Hotel Champlain Vieux Quebec in Old Town, which had an old-town feel but was very comfortable. We could walk along the Rue Sainte Anne and Cathedral Holy Trinty shops to the boardwalk by Saint-Louis Forts and Châteaux National Historic Site, which has beautiful waterway views, and of Fairmont Fe Chateau Frontenac. We had the best dinner of the trip, Café-Terrasse Le Nouvelle-France, and stopped to watch the fountain show in front of Quebec City Hall. I recommend Au Petit Coin Breton for breakfast; they have good crepes and traditional breakfast egg and omelet dishes. We tried walking up to the citadel in the morning, but it was too much for my wife. While Old Town Quebec City is easy to walk, it is not easy with a rollator because of the cobblestone sidewalks. Even the concrete sidewalks have uneven surfaces (due to weather). We ordered a handicap cab through the Coop Taxi app, but they sent a regular taxi instead. Luckily, he was able to flag us down a minivan. Another couple ordered an Uber, and we overheard the Uber driver arguing that the line at the cruise terminal was too long and he would only drop them off at the gate. We did not think the line at the terminal was long and we checked in quickly.

Any Itinerary changes besides missing Bar Harbor? How did Halifax, Syndey, and Charlottetown fair?

Any Ciders at Garrison Brewery?

We are cruising from Quebec to Boston, with stops in Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, Portland, and Bar Harbor. How much wildlife is typically visible in that area? Deciding if I want to pack the binoculars?