MacGuffin3

The NCL shuttle apparently takes 20 minutes.

Maybe not literally, but that's the way I look at tipping, nothing but a demeaning enterprise.

Nope what? They won't give me a drink? Or they'll take care of me first?

It's simple basic market economics of supply and demand. Nothing whatsoever to do with covid losses. Travel is a competitive business, there are many options out there who cater to people who are looking for the best deal, it's justa seller's market the past few years. Lots of industries have "covid losses" but they can't just magically "make them up" by charging more if there aren't clients willing to pay it and their competition isn't raising prices as well. And as to the "inflation" everywhere you can thank governments for that, it's one thing I won't blame on NCL.

Do all the bars have jalapeño's? I don't drink sweet drinks, but I do like spicy food, so maybe I'll try a spicy drink for the first time.

Only if you'll be there to drink some Guinness with me.

Maybe we'll check that out, and discovering a little gold wouldn't hurt towards recouping the cost of the trip. Juneau's kind of a weird schedule on the Encore too, not arriving until 2:30pm. Seems like I just heard about problems with too many crowds at the Mendenhall glacier, it's receded considerably in the past few years, and we'll be in Glacier Bay the next day anyway. Maybe we'll just do a bit of hiking.

Yes, I'll only be paying the mandatory $154 in tips for my week of drinks and not a penny more, which means I'll apparently have to wait for the queue jumpers holding out their dollar bills.

Must be invisible on my site. Nothing but blue skies.

Avis is the only major agency in Skagway, and the only one that will show up on the big travel sites. There are about 4 others small independent places you can find through the official skagway.com site.

May rent a car in Juneau, but it doesn't look like there are really all that many places one can take it. Cost of renting a car in Skagway is prohibitive, but we could do bikes. My goal is always to stay as far away from contrived tourist spots as possible.

Woohoo, glad to see I broke the record! Onion volcano stuff was just a joke, but yeah, you sussed me out, if it had been up to me I would have never a booked a cruise. I much prefer un-packaged travel.

You must be joking, without the onion volcano what is the point of going? It's just a little squirt of booze that flames for two seconds, are they going to outlaw all fun next?

That's funny they all look the exact same as the "martinis."

Encore is only in Ketchikan until 1pm. The last shuttle back from town to the pier is at 11:30am. This means you have to wake up at an ungodly hour if you wish to do anything whatsoever on your own in town. And don't give me - "take this or that NCL excursion." For a family of four they are all complete rip-offs and only leave at 7 in the morning.

Sure, not just anywhere can you see an onion ring volcano.

I'm pretty sure I looked for it there too. I do anything I can to avoid making phone calls. How hard is it to add a "cancel" button NCL?

I never found this in the app, had to call the NCL customer service listed. Pain in the A**. Who wants to actually spend time talking to customer service people?

Will they still make the onion ring volcano for them?

K*I*S*S, just do 24 hours with limited and/or transition choices at off hours and everyone wins.

I can just see it now. Sorry maam, no cheesecake for you until you eat your vegetables.

Does anybody have a recent typical schedule for the Encore buffet?

Sounds great, being paleo, I will just order double of whatever protein is in the center of the plate, and tell them to skip all the sides.

Tipping is for the birds.

Thanks for the info, Sounds like in practice then the main dining room will be the "specialty dining" for our kids, and then they will begrudgingly go to our specialty places with us since they will have to order grilled cheese.