dmwnc1959

Any recommendations for a really great breakfast? I'll be there twice in early 2025 and would love to go ashore and support the local economy. 😁

Thanks OP for this thread. NCL will be using Whittier for the first time ever starting in April 2025, and I've been doing some limited research and what is available to do there. It'll be my turnaround day coming up from Florida through the Panama Canal, followed by a 7-night southbound to Vancouver. We are there roughly from 5am to 8pm, and I'm not sure what time the turnaround passengers will have to disembark to clear for re-embarkation. Lots of great suggestions on tours, including the option to eat at the Swiftwater Seafood Cafe. For those that have dined there, how was the walk from the cruise ship terminal?

Thank you for the pictures. Looks like your cruise is off to a great start! As for the listed Customization Options at the Java Café, when you find time over the next week can you ask if I am charged extra for those if I have the coffee package. Very much appreciate it! Enjoy St. Thomas tomorrow! Always loved the fact that AT&T is available without using the ship's Wi-Fi package.

This looks absolutely lovely! I'll get to visit Hubbard Glacier twice, so it will be interesting to see the set up on Norwegian Jade. Your pictures remind me that I will need to pack some winter-wear for Glacier Day! 😉

Your experience in Cagney's is very upsetting. I travel solo as well and plan on limiting my specialty dining experiences to La Cucina and Sushi, both which were reviewed favorably by @umaine89. I'll wait until I get on board next year to see if they offer a better deal on the dining packages, but right now they seem to be too expensive ($40+ a meal) to even consider. Hope you get the opportunity to dine in Jasmine's which is complementary. If you happen to make it past the Starbucks coffee shop can you do me a favor? I was reading the menu board and was wondering what the added flavored syrup options are, and if I had the Starbucks package would I get charged for those and/or the added espresso shot? Customization Options Add Flavored Syrup, Regular or Sugar-Free Add Espresso Shot Add Soy milk, Almond milk, or Coconut milk Looking forward to your daily updates! I'm very excited to be cruising Norwegian Jade next year. 👍😁

So, I've probably been to a Starbucks less than a half a dozen times in my life, much less never been to one on an NCL ship. Was reading the menu board off of Norwegian Jade and was wondering what the added flavored syrup options are, and if I had the Starbucks package would I get charged for those and/or the added espresso shot? Customization Options Add Flavored Syrup, Regular or Sugar-Free Add Espresso Shot Add Soy milk, Almond milk, or Coconut milk 😁

THANKS again for taking us along! Really enjoyed your pictures and the dailies posted. Looking forward to any final thoughts on NCL and the Norwegian Jade. 😁

It's mind-blowing (to me, at least) that the complimentary dining options are just wide open and not a slot to be had for the specialty restaurants until after 8pm. I'm an early eater i.e. 530pm for dinner, and usually in bed by 10pm. It's also why I had mentioned earlier about having 5:30am breakfasts a lot at O'Sheehan's. 😳 This does look very good!

I am counting on this big time for next year. Can't imagine someone wanting to book an extended cruise knowing there are much more kid- and family-friendlier options. What you described as 'classic cruising'... perfection. 🥰

I can see me spending a LOT of time at O'Sheehan's for breakfast. And I can also see me spending an hour or so every morning out on the promenade deck walking track trying not to get any fatter. Lol 😉 been on a diet since January getting ready. Any plans on eating at the Jasmine Garden? It's complimentary and the menu looks pretty tasty. Glad to hear this. Having been on Allure of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, it's been a good number of years since I've cruised on a ship the size of Norwegian Jade.

All great advice! 👍 Unless things change, I’m booked on the B2B where Whittier is now my turnaround day from the 25-night coming from Florida through the Panama Canal. The idea of spending another week on board Norwegian Jade and ending up in Vancouver, maybe spending a night or two post-cruise then flying home, was quite appealing.

NCL hasn't yet used Whittier (first visit will be in April 2025). I know Princess Cruises and Holland-America were frequent users last season. Maybe ask over on the Princess Cruises Forum since their ships visit most often.

I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this, but the cruise ship pier for Sitka is several miles outside of the main town. In these screen grabs from Marine Traffic you can see Carnival Spirit pulling in…

It never ceased to amaze me that how you could be wearing shorts in Juneau, but on glacier day you're bundled up! I remember on Holland-America they served split pea soup on the bow. One of my most fondest memories. 🥰

COZUMEL! Hope you're having a great (and relaxing) time!

About the biggest difference (according to the description) is you board the small boat alongside directly from the cruise ship as it enters Disenchantment Bay, stay on the small excursion boat the entire time, and when the tour is done you re-embark the cruise ship when the small boat pulls alongside. Other than maybe the transfer process there should not be anything strenuous about it at all. I'll have to give the Shore Excursions Desk a call first thing in the morning and try to get through.

In your journeys around Norwegian Jade, if you happen to see a Restaurant Dress Code sign or placard can you take a picture of it please? It may look like this one posted in my MDR Shorts thread by @cruiseny4life from Norwegian Prima.

Sorry! ☹️ Seriously did not know there was an alcohol-related definition, I've only ever been aware of the baby icebergs. As for taking tons of pictures, pre-digital photography I'd often take +50 rolls of film on an Alaska cruise and then spends days putting them all in photo albums, which all now sit on shelves collecting dust. I seriously need to find a way to get through this cruise with as few pictures as possible. I tend to live the cruise through the viewfinder.

Even in pictures the visual appeal of Alizar falls well short of the Grand Pacific. If I have to wear long pants in the latter for dinner, I'll make that 'sacrifice'. However, in the beginning I'll split 'visitation rights' between the two just to get first-hand experiences. And I've always hated wearing hats of any kind, ball caps especially. Must have gotten that from my Navy days. 😉

THANK YOU for posting the Freestyle Daily. I very much enjoy poring over all of the little details and daily events. So much going on all the time!

@PATRLR @vacation44 I wonder what makes this particular NCL Shore Excursion experience different from the one conducted at Hubbard Glacier, whereas yours is rated as an Activity Level 1 (easiest) and the latter is rated as Activity Level 3 (most strenuous). I did try and call the NCL Shore Excursions Desk but after waiting on the phone for 30 minutes gave up.

THIS is why I cruise 🥰

They also serve a pretty amazing breakfast from what I hear.

Very helpful! Thank you! 👍😁

Sounds really amazing, and your pictures are fantastic! The one for Hubbard Glacier is running $350 even with the discount, and appears to be run by the same company. Definitely going to have to do some thinking on that one, but on the B2B I hit Hubbard Glacier twice.