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OK refer to the deck diagram for BLISS deck 15: Norwegian Bliss Deck 15 Deck Plans (cruisedeckplans.com) Note that the stateroom passageway has a walled partition separating the passageway for the back of the elevators. To use the elevators you have to go around that partition into foyer containing the 8 elevators. Also note that the stairs are close by but are also separated by a partition (that thin grey line). That being noted - the only real time of a great deal of traffic is usually in the morning - departing for breakfast or leaving the ship for excursions. And then at night the dinner and show entertainment crowds. But have no fear you should not be bothered between those times - - - No elevator gong gong bing bing announcements of the elevator awaits your pressing deck buttons - the elevators are out of sight around the corner ! There is no real alarm for being next to the elevator banks - Advantage of being able to walk outside your stateroom door and have an elevator at your command. Now about that deck 16 SPA - these are quiet places of solitude - no problem there !

Ya you-betcha- you are the type that needs more ice in the fjord to float your boat ! ROFLOL !

Circa September 2019 NCL JEWEL booked thru NCL - think the operator was Allan Marine huge 200+ passenger catamaran ? - thought it was around $160 pp included box lunch and the craft had wet bar beverages. Boarded the excursion at the Juneau float plane dock. Did the south primary Sawyer glacier and then a short visit to the smaller north Sawyer glacier - got up very close and personal at both. Rare that cruise ships venture past Sawyer island in the middle of the Tracy Arm fjord. By any and all means don't miss this if presented with the opportunity. This applies to all the glaciers - your next cruise visit may be only memories - - - - -

You may be able to Do It Your-self - visit the Buffet for the Hot Chocolate and ask your cabin steward for the blanket (perhaps even taking it off of your bed) - now as for the added ingredients to the hot chocolate that may depend on what type of beverage package you have or your billing it on your account.

In a Suite (Haven) stateroom no restrictions Have Latitudes rewards points you may have a designated check-in and boarding que Same for CAS (Casinos At Sea) Any of the above just show up at your leisure Now doing the On-Line check-in you may be offered a selection of (suggested) times to check-in and Board. Nothing absolutely fixed in stone - your travel arrangements getting to the port may change so don't think you need to be locked in. During peak times there may be boarding ques - priority given to the first three categories mentioned above. Some cruise ports are so confined that handling large volume of crowds is the norm - best to select from the times NCL offers - even then there may be a problem. Realize that checking in not so much the problem - it is handling the crowds boarding This can be complicated with the LATE arrival of your cruise ship and the late cleaning and turn of the ship waiting for a ZERO guest count from the arrival. Some of the mega ships have an even/odd deck boarding system. Regardless be prepared to sit and wait for your boarding que call. Mention the Boarding Port of the EPIC (cruise itinerary) for more reader feedback - - - - -

Icy Strait Point is not like Ketchikan or Juneau with the diamond merchants and mega-tourist shopping marts. ISP has a small gift shop snack bar pavilion - a zip line and gondola ride to the summit looking down on the port - no glamours tourist attractions. Not even on a half scale of what is at Skagway.

Yes - noon time or later the Tracy Arm Sawyer glacier excursion would be better - avoiding the chance of morning mist fog although that might not be so bad for extraordinary photos. Hope you have the opportunity like I did seeing both the larger primary south Sawyer glacier and the bonus smaller north Sawyer glacier. Crew snagged a chunk of glacier ice brought it on board - felt the intense cold and observed the cool color hue - - - Took the 5+ hour excursion out of Juneau - l-o-n-g trip - would need more than a few hours of port time at Juneau for this.

Google Maps Expand (Zooom) the image out further to see the railroad activity Note Comfort Inn @ Ships Creek is surrounded by tracks - across the river is a freight yard - apt to be traffic all day-night - in the front of the hotel is the mainline passenger railroad of Alaska RR (where you board the train) Comfort Inn is right centered in the image - - - Alaska RR Anchorage Depot is in lower left image - - - Ramada Inn you will hear trains all night Other hotels within 2-3-4 blocks away will also hear trains especially those facing the tracks. But not so much L-O-U-D noise ! Oh you won't hear train horns but the shuttling and movement of train cars being connected (cars banging into each other) - heavy diesel action of locomotives rumbling. What would expect from being next to a freight yard ? If you are tired enough this will not be too much of concern Turn on the air conditioning (not heat) just the blower for white noise cover up !

If your port call time is from 8am to 8pm there may be ample opportunities (slots) for shore excursions - if the port time is reduced to 1pm then the opportunities may be fewer. Multiple ships may offer more slots - early late in the season with only one ship and port call time limited there may only be 1 slot time available. It could very well be that certain cruise lines have priority on shore excursions times slots. Suggestion if booked for your cruise and shore excursions slots are limited book the one you want.

Having a land based tour before or after the cruise of course will change all this. One thing about northbound cruises is that you may find Glacier Bay being replaced by Hubbard glacier -or- other port stop combinations - Check your cruise itinerary for the variations. Northbound trips out of Seattle for the most part do not go to Anchorage (Seward/Whittier) and conversely southbound trips skipping Vancouver but port call at Victoria then Seattle.

The viewing will still be there - the shore excursions maybe limited and some stores may have closed for the season. The weather will have started to take a notch towards the winter side of things - nothing you can't handle. Getting to and from Alaska may offer limited airline flights - non-stop flights reduced to connection points i.e. Seattle Chicago Mpls/St. Paul others ? Oh and the fares should be dropping in the bucket getting more bang for the buck or pound. Come and enjoy the Last Frontier while it is somewhat still in frozen {tundra} state. About those shore excursions have an alternate back-up plan - if one cancels due to weather or other factors you maybe able to slip in at the last moment on another. Your traveling solo does have an advantage of doing this - only one seat left ! Good Luck - enjoy your solo cruise !

Although Alaska is the land of the MidNight Sun sailings in the early and late season the sea travel maybe mostly at night twilight - At dusk visibility is limited. Bright deck lighting can diminish the viewing. Basically sailing out of Seattle you will transit the Pacific ocean side of Vancouver Island. Sailing from Vancouver more in likely you will transit the {Canadian) Inside Passage - most of this during the night. Yes the sail-away and morning arrival at ports will be somewhat in daylight. In general traveling northbound the starboard {right} side faces the bulk of land and conversely sailing southbound the port {left} side faces the bulk of land. Remember that except for the portion - Pacific Ocean side of Vancouver and the final leg passing by Hubbard glacier destination Seward/Whittier there is land - islands on both sides of the ship. Passage by these land features will be anywhere from 20 plus to less than a quarter of mile viewing would best be with binoculars telephoto lens or other zooming devices. You are seeing a small window of the B-I-G Alaska picture. Balcony stateroom fine but an even limited view - "get out of Dodge" and see more from one of the upper decks - Search for these viewing points during the first couple of days of the cruise - inclement weather seek out shelter on one of the enclosed {promenade} decks. No one will coax you out of your stateroom cocoon - but for better viewing best be sheading your security blanket. Pay attention to any announcements about scenic features coming into view ! There maybe cruise/tour guides to assist when and where to look ! Now pulling the curtain aside don't pay any attention to this ! LOL !

Basic good points about stopping for flora fauna animals and scenic views - BUT then Alaska RR does a good job of slowing a train for that event commenting on it. It is the unseen engineers operating the train that first notice some of these things and communicating it to the conductor and crew on board the train for an announcement where to look. Another point the RR tracks often go where there is no road to see sites and photo opts - and then there is the safety factor not getting out of the bus or car to encounter the native beasts on their home turf. Of course there will always be that YMMV factor - be a Sinatra "Do it your way" which ever way it is that will take you to your destiny - just make sure your photo recording device is loaded for game ! LOL !

And the difference in the space on the train versus the bus is no contest - the seating - the elbow room - having a cafe or diner car with full service - and windows (large windows huge windows) - and the convenience of a rest room that one can turn around in (not being a contortionist).

Your boarding may also be immediate right after check-in or later. If in a suite you maybe in the first boarding call or whenever you just show up - If you are a high point latitudes rewards guest you may have an early boarding - There is NO CASINO on the POA so no early boarding for that category (CAS).

Overload that elevator and see what happens - a stillness - no movement - no indication that something is amiss - ahem the elevator is overloaded (safety measure) would someone kindly step off and take another elevator ! The NEW mustard (muster) drill has pretty much eliminated the elevator mayhem after the announcements at the muster station - good deal ! On the large mega huge ships there are more than one elevator banks - learn where the other banks are - you might walk a level deck to those other banks and take the elevator up/down going to your destination. And folks give priority right-of-way to guests in wheelchairs scooters - this should not have any negative comments !

Looking for a hotel that you have rewards points round-to-its to burn - use the internet and check Priceline - Booking.com - have a travel club membership see what they can advise. Call the hotel directly for information about shuttle service to from depot and/or airport ! Google map of the area around the Anchorage Depot {zooom IN OUT for more detail} Google Maps Note the PINK (RED) tabs (Marriott) bottom left of image - Depot in middle of image - Early booking highly recommended Hotels in a 10 block radius - Sheraton Hilton Ramada - closest with level walking is the Comfort Inn @ Ships Creek - closest Hilton 3 block walk all downhill steps ramps

Just remember that any planning that uses the Port of Whittier - there is that shared rail/highway TUNNEL to contend with - timing is everything when down to the wire !

Are the elevators in question MARKED with the floors that they service i.e. Even-Odd ? At least one of the elevators in a bank of elevators should (must ?) be handicap accessible for all the decks ? With NCL there is always the quandary of having to go UP the DOWN elevators (staircase) to access another hidden level. The JEWEL and DAWN class of ships have their elevator quirks - the SUN also has a deck level not elevator accessible (deck 6A Oslo) After being on board for a while one should be able to figure out this madness

There are two train options here - One you stay at the airport and catch the cruise line chartered train leaving the airport area about noon - YES this is a doable plan ONLY if taking that cruise line chartered train. It is not a daily scheduled trip - operates only when the cruise line ship sails. {I am thinking this is the plan you are contemplating} OR While the airport hotels maybe a convenient and less expensive alternative to those downtown and those close to the Alaska RR Depot - you are cutting your sleep time by an hour or maybe more. The scheduled Alaska RR Coastal Classic train leaves at 06:45 - that is the time of departure - check-in and baggage handling certainly must be done prior - suggested by 6am. Cruise line travel - baggage maybe handled differently - check it out ! The distance from the airport to the train depot is not that great and traffic not much of a problem but rousting out a shuttle driver or taxi/uber vehicle - With other folks having the same plan - you maybe looking at leaving the airport area no later than 5am YMMV. It is always time versus distance - - - and convenience - saving a buck or two etc. Consider whether it is worthwhile to use hotel points rewards to stay somewhere other than close ?

Plans Options Plans Options - basically WAIT till you are on board and discuss these with the Internet Cafe Manager or representative - have free promo minutes start your program the 2nd day of the cruise - getting a one day discount and then reduced by your free time. Realize that the Internet service is transmission by satellite signal - some of the cruises may be just slightly out of the loop for reception result no internet or sporadic intermittent service. The system is not 100% perfect. For email users - you don't need all the bells buzzers whistles horns. If you are not on one of the UNLIMITED plans remember to LOG-OFF to avoid using the precious few limited free minutes remaining in your package. I.E. 250 free minutes is 4 hours and 10 minutes of time - fail to LOG-OFF and poof it is gone in a flash - the Internet Cafe Manager may be generous to reset your time - BUT - don't count on it if you are the Forrest Gump type of "Internet for Dummies" user ! On the cheap frugal side - plan on using port land based free Wi-Fi sources where available such as Starbucks Hortons Hotels other Coffee venues and public service Libraries etc. While at SEA sporting events are not so much featuring USA sports - mostly European soccer. While in the Internet Cafe - you can use NCLs internet free to access most anything booked or reserved thru NCL - Shore Excursions for example. Cell phones maybe the best sized instruments for general use - as opposed to Lap-Tops and tablets - need a much larger screen - the Internet Cafe has monitors - you will need a program to LOG-IN to use NCL equipment. Now it comes down to how much you use the Internet and the cost of using it - On Board ! Plan your Plans and Options carefully to get the most out of your Dollar Pound Euro or whatever floats your cruise boat !

I didn't see another option - that of staying at an airport hotel with shuttle pick-up. Arrive train depot - take hotel shuttle to airport hotel and next day take the hotel shuttle to the airport and a convenient flight home to the lower 48 - - - Knock yourself out in gradual steps - - - Arrive at Depot 10pm and red-eye flight leaves 1am is doable but the S-T-R-E-S-S ### !

It is not terribly great when the visit to the Glacier any of them is way too early in the day (morning) as the factor of fog and morning mist enters into the equation. Better afternoon when such atmosphere has lifted revealing the glacier in better viewing. Hubbard is one of those glaciers usually seen in morning light due to cruise schedule i.e. leave Seward (Whittier) in early evening next day morning viewing Hubbard or leaving Whittier viewing College Glacier in morning light. Most cruises view Glacier Bay in late morning or near noon what I would call prime time.

Alaskans are fortunate not to have the problems like the lower 48 continental states of FREIGHT INTERFERENCE with Amtrak operation - For the most part passenger trains operate in daylight and the freights at night or other odd hours - Only problems to occur is the MOW (Maintenance Of Way) of the tracks.

Indeed the Anchorage Airport stop could be made into a short line metro link to downtown - maybe with a stop here or there - frequency of operation dependent on planned traffic. To just use it on cruise days for charters seems all too wrong and a failing on using taxpayers money for everyone's benefit. I am fortunate to live at Minneapolis/St Paul (MSP) where we do have such lite metro rail to from the Mall of America - Airport - Fort Snelling Vets service - multiple connection points to south Minneapolis - downtown entertainment - and an extension to St Paul and connections including Amtrak's Empire Builder Chicago-Seattle/Portland train. Not everyone travels by ship flight rail everywhere but the combination gets people there. A writer a while back wanted to go from Florida to Alaska by rail - well the pieces of the puzzle are filled in with air and ship.