dmwnc1959

11 hours ago, Divvi said:

Hi everyone,

 

We are traveling to Alaska in July and would appreciate if you could share recommendations on things to do at each of the Ports of call. We have 4 adults and 3 kids in our group (ages 5-10) and are looking for a mix of activities to do, places of interest etc. 

 

We are taking the Royal Caribbean 7 nights cruise and following are the ports of call:

 

1. JUNEAU, ALASKA  - Day 1
2. ICY STRAIT POINT, ALASKA  - Day 2 
3. SITKA, ALASKA  - Day 3
4. SKAGWAY, ALASKA  - Day 4
5. SEWARD, ALASKA  -  Day 5 

 

Thanks in advance,

Divvi
 

1. JUNEAU, ALASKA 
2. ICY STRAIT POINT, ALASKA 
3. SITKA, ALASKA 
4. SKAGWAY, ALASKA 
5. SEWARD, ALASKA

If you are already booked, then you should be able to go onto your reservation and see what shore tours are available, and which ones match your interests and budget. Keep in mind some of these can run upwards of $250-$500 a person and can sell out fast. 
 

What you can also do is use Google. In the search box enter something like "Top 10 things to do in Skagway". Some cities like Skagway, Juneau, and even Icy Strait will have at least a dozen or two different excursions. 
 

I've cruised Alaska 5x, and am booked next year on a back-to-back (two cruises one after another). My interests are most definitely going to be different than yours. Some of the shore excursions that I have already booked are ones that others wouldn't at all be interested in. 
 

😁

1 minute ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

Are they made of real Girl Scouts?

🤣 we hope not. But I can say that I have yet to meet a Girl Scout cookie that I didn't like. A couple years back someone donated pallets full of cases of Girl Scout cookies to the VA hospital where I worked at, and they were randomly passed out to the veterans and employees. Also being a veteran, I ended up with 12 boxes of different cookies, just to show you how many were donated to the hospital. And of course shared them with my three coworkers in the office. 😁

2 hours ago, PartyPlannerLady said:

 

My all time favorite cookies are the plain old butter cookies that the Girl Scouts sell.  I normally buy 3-4 boxes every year!

Somehow I missed them this year, but my absolute favorites from them are Samoas. 

2 hours ago, PartyPlannerLady said:

 

OK so you got one out of three! 🙂

Sigh. 🙄 He's scarfing down cookies all the while going 'nom nom nom" (which you can actually 'hear' since we are all familiar with the character). 

And I'll tell you what: a year from now I will report back when I'm on my 32-night 🚢 cruise and show you pictures of 🍪 cookies. And I will giggle and have a sense of humor while I am eating my 🍪 cookies going 'nom nom nom'. And I will specifically purchase a Sid stuffed animal and we will both enjoy 🍪 cookies together.
 

And we will both laugh and laugh and laugh. 🤣 🤣 🤣  

😎
 

Just now, MoCruiseFan said:

You know what they say about ASS-U-ming like you did.  Like most, yours is wrong and it did go over your head.  It also did not lack a point, that just went over your head as well. The point is prima facia, it needed no quote.  Have fun figuring it out.  Perhaps someone who 1) knows who that character is, 2) is familiar with his habits involving the topic at hand. and 3) has even the slightest sense of humor could help you.  Let us know when you finally figure it out!  Have a great day...

Everyone knows it's the Cookie Monster. 🤣

Not Vibe-specific, but I watch the Live bridge cam yesterday all the way through to the glacier and it was a GORGEOUS day!!!

8 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

It went way over your head!  Go have a few cookies and coem back... 🙂

Actually, no it didn't. 😉
 

But since your post lacked a point of reference by quoting another post - which I assume you were alluding to the 'full plate of cookies left (discarded) in the hallway'  - I went ahead and took the opportunity.
 

Thank you for leaving the door open. 
 

😎

53 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

And yes, I know, your post was in jest.

I can honestly that say I've never had a thing for wicker, despite growing up in the south and having a 🥰 mom that loved everything wicker! 

@skier05 here's the recent thread too 

1 minute ago, hallux said:

@dmwnc1959 yup, that's how mine came back -

That's actually pretty cool! I don't suppose you get to keep the basket lol? 

... and this picture recently posted by @OrcaGirl on a Live thread from Norwegian Epic

29 minutes ago, skier05 said:

Is it 100% every cruise that they off a bag full for a one time price?  Also, how big is the bag.. Just wondering for packing purposes.

 

Thanks in advance.

This was posted by @dhanakorn couple of weeks ago in another thread...

On 4/12/2024 at 9:15 AM, OrcaGirl said:

Epic transatlantic day 5:

 

Epic-day5.pdf 1.61 MB · 21 downloads
 

 

Epic transatlantic day 6:

 

Epic-day6.pdf 1.61 MB · 19 downloads

THANK YOU!!!  for taking the time to post the Freestyle Daily and menus. Having never been on NCL this gives me sort of peek into what goes on during longer cruises. I'm now inclined to eat in the MDR every night and maybe only book additional specialty dining over the 2 free FAS once I get onboard.  

44 minutes ago, Coastalbreezes said:

Every cruise these days has the Winner Take All tournament qualifier. Usually held on sea days, you pay $30 to enter. Each round has a "winner" and you can replay as often as you like.

 

There's a bank of machines and after a countdown, everyone plays for two minutes to get the highest score. You may win a round but someone could end up with a score higher than yours. On the last sea day are the finals.

 

The top 10 from all rounds play to compete for 1) $500 and 2) a seat at the Winner Take All Tournament which, this year will be on Jade October 27. You only get a seat for this not a cabin which you have to pay for or have a comp.

 

https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/casino-cruise/special-events

Great explanation and link! THANK YOU! 👍 😁

1 hour ago, MoCruiseFan said:

As with most things, read the terms and conditions carefully before buying! 🙂

Thanks. I looked at the entire page that lists the description and there are no terms and conditions, no asterisk, and no fine print. Other than calling the customer service number, and in all likelihood getting someone who has no clue, there are no other details. 

2 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

If you're asking why a picture, to show waste as an issue. If we can post sightings and verifications of 'Cookies Found!' why not counter with examples showing full plates wasted, the reason not withstanding. All of the reports are saying corporate is using that as a main reason. 

4 minutes ago, julig22 said:

But sadly as I was walking down the hall from the casino to my room there was a full plate of cookies left in the hallway - someone's uneaten leftovers, probably ordered from room service.

Now that too would have made an interesting picture. 😢 

Curious, and I'm asking because I don't know these things on NCL, do they do this 'Afternoon Snack' offering in every casino? Or maybe just on the smaller Jewel-class, etc.? Is it listed in the daily program? 

So, this showed up on my cruise booking options recently. Never much for endlessly dropping money into a slot machine, I'll sometimes set a $20 limit per cruise just for the fun of it. However, this has me intrigued.

Anyone that's participated in this, can you give additional details on how this works on a cruise. For a 25-night - and on any NCL cruise for that matter - I'm assuming it's done just once? 
 

30 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

All this fuss over something as insignificant as cookies.

 

Now, if NCL did away with beer, wine and bourbon, (you know...really important stuff), that would be bad. Really bad. Disastrous, even.

 

Cookies are a dime a dozen (well, maybe not anymore)...

For a cruise line that has been notorious for nickel-and-diming people into oblivion, the reported cut-back/removing of 'something as insignificant as cookies' just continues the conspiracy theories of cutbacks and reductions. Take this, take that, a little bit at a time, they'll suck it up. There's never a day that goes by without someone complaining about NCL's food and services. But if it's done over time, people just stop complaining and get used to the hammering. What's

going to disappear next? Your guess is as good as mine. 

56 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Found cookies in the Jewel casino today.

I don't know, I'm gonna need photographic proof. 😉🤣

2 hours ago, ChiCruzr said:

Trying again.

 

There was a post less than 48 hours prior to mine showing the availability of cookies in the Great Outdoors.  There have also been reports of cookies in the Casino.  Neither of those areas are "limited access".

Again, 19 ships. 

And 12 pages later from Post 1 we have more reports from ship's officers of it being a 'corporate decision' than we have reports of Cookie Sightings!!! in the casino by some random passerby. 
 

And we have ZERO reports from 19 ships saying trays of cookies are still showing up daily in The Great Outdoors in pre-covid numbers. 
 

You said: "People having been saying that cookies are no longer available on NCL, per crew and even Officers.  On the other hand, others are posting current photographic evidence that cookies ARE available in the Solo Lounge, Haven, Great Outdoors, et al.

Both can't be true simultaneously", 

But it can. Remember...19 ships.
 

We can have it being reported as not available and seeing photographic evidence of the opposite - simultaneously - because there are 19 ships: ships of all different sizes, ships of vastly different passenger capacities, and ships with widely different venues and/or accommodation types where cookies are still available in some yet not showing up in others.
 

On 19 ships.

😎

37 minutes ago, ChiCruzr said:

Here's what I don't get about this entire kerfuffle.  People having been saying that cookies are no longer available on NCL, per crew and even Officers.  On the other hand, others are posting current photographic evidence that cookies ARE available in the Solo Lounge, Haven, Great Outdoors, et al.

 

Both can't be true simultaneously.  I trust the folks with evidence, rather than those relying upon what others (even crew) have told them.  YMMV.

The Haven and the Solo Lounge are basically 'restricted areas' accessible only to guests booked in those accommodations, and therefore receive some degree of 'special' cookie delivery arrangements due to the very limited number of passengers (Solo Lounge) or its exclusivity (The Haven). 
 

Similarly, Cruise Critic Meet & Greets are able to receive a somewhat generous spread of cookies due to the 'limited access'.
 

Those areas and/or events are not 'common areas' nor are they accessible to all passengers on the ship.

I don't recall reading a plethora of 'Cookie's Discovered!!!' reports coming from The Great Outdoors on NCL's 19 ships. 

I do recall reading on here a report indicating that the general practice of having cookies as part of a permanent offering was going to cease in March/April, so maybe it's taking longer for some ships to go through whatever stock they have?

Seeing a few pictures scattered here and there from 19 ships with a larger number of reports indicating NO COOKIES! leaves me to believe that open and free unlimited access to cookies in casual dining areas is going to be a thing of the past sooner that you might think. 

37 minutes ago, Coral said:

They do that with a glacier in Norway also. They use a 20 year old image also.

It really is sad how much this glacier has retreated. I am glad I first went in 2002. It makes me so sad that past few times I have been.

Despite these images, I'll make the trek out there next May when the ship pulls into Juneau. I'll be there a week prior too on the northbound segment, but have a few other things planned.
 

It's been over 20 years since I last visited, and this is sort of a final bucket list item going back to Alaska again. This will be the last time. 

Just now, Distinctive-Destinations said:

I don’t know if they are included or not. I think they are $2 each. 

 

We typically don’t eat cookies, no idea. Sorry.

I forget exactly how much I paid for the macarons from the patisserie onboard Anthem of the Seas but they were also around that price. 

3 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

 

On a side note, had my first ever Starbucks Frappuccino. I'll have to rate this 10/10. 🥰