Trip Report: NCL Pearl, 5/7 - 5/17 - Alaska!

[April7901]

May 9, 2015

 

Saturday, May 9th was our first port day, and a late arrival into Juneau at 1:00. I got up early again to do some wildlife watching, but came up empty handed. I did room service breakfast again, and then headed to the morning trivia – losing team again ☺ I headed back to the comfort of my balcony, and this time managed to spot a few whales.

 

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I wasn’t in a rush today, since my tour wasn’t scheduled until 4:00. So I hit the noon trivia, which was tri-bond trivia. This time my team kicked some butt and won!

 

I lunched at O’Sheehan’s before eventually heading off the ship. I caught the free shuttle into the main area – we were docked in Timbuktu at the AJ dock. I wandered around and did some shopping, trying to check off my list of people to buy for and found some great stuff.

 

Since my tour was leaving from the dock area, I eventually caught the shuttle back to wait to be picked up. While I was chilling in the covered area, a couple of bald eagles were hanging out on the cell towers across the street and were fun to watch. In hindsight, I probably should have dropped off my shopping purchases on the ship, but it was kind of nice to just sit in the quiet and watch the eagles.

 

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Just before 4, the Coastal Helicopters shuttle pulled up to pick me up. We picked up another couple at the tram parking lot area before heading to the Juneau airport area. Two other girls met us there, and we were fitted with our glacier boots – those went on over our shoes. We watched a quick safety brief video, and then went outside to load into our helicopter.

[April7901]

Now, let me preface this and say that to my knowledge, I’ve never been in a helicopter. My father swears I did when I was little, but the way I remember it, he took my brother. ;) In any case, this was a new experience for me.

 

They sorted out how to best load the helicopter, and we all got in. I was seated behind the pilot on the right side (facing forward). We got buckled in, and put on our headsets. Our pilot was Luke, and he was just talkative enough for my taste. He pointed out the various sights as we flew towards Herbert Glacier, our destination.

 

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Untitled by april7901, on Flickr

 

I have to say – it’s a little unsettling to be in a chopper. It’s not scary, assuming that you trust your pilot. But a bit unsettling – it always feels like you’re a little too close to land, that at any moment the rotor blades are going to slice into ice and you’ll go hurtling to your death. It never even comes close to actually happening, but as someone unfamiliar with the experience, it rattled me just a tiny bit.

 

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Edited May 31, 2015 by April7901

[April7901]

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After a 15-20 minute flight, we landed on Herbert Glacier. We all got out and had about 20-25 minutes to just wander around. The glacier was beautiful – so peaceful, so quiet. The air was cool but not ice cold, and the ice boots gave you enough traction that you weren’t slip-sliding around.

 

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When we were still at home base, the staff suggested we all take a paper cup with us so we could taste the glacier water. Near where we had landed was a small puddle, and so we all tasted the clear, cold water. So fresh and pure.

 

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[April7901]

We could wander anywhere, and the rest of our group was more adventurous than I am. I can be a bit klutzy and wandering around icy hills and valleys and cracks and crevices just seemed like a recipe for breaking a bone or two. So I stayed on the main face where we landed.

 

This is also one of the few times where I decided that a photo of me in my surroundings was necessary. I hate photos – it’s why I stay behind the camera. But seriously, I was standing on a freaking glacier. Photo. Necessary.

 

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I took a ton of photos, but these are just the highlights – otherwise, it would be like twelve solid posts of photos. ;)

 

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[April7901]

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[April7901]

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All too soon, it was time to re-board and end our adventure. Again, a 15-20 minute flight and we were back at the Juneau airstrip. We got our boots off, gathered our stuff, and hopped back in the shuttle.

 

The Pearl on the way back..

 

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[April7901]

I think we all got off at the tram parking area, and that was my next destination. I bought my ticket, and got my little wrist stamp – and seriously, how cute is it?? A stamp of a tram car…

 

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From the parking lot:

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Anyway, I didn’t wait long before the car came down, and a group of us loaded in for the relatively quick ride to the top. The views are gorgeous, and it felt like you could see everything everywhere. I wandered around the top for a while, but I wasn’t super into it. I was pretty tired, actually. So I got back on the car and headed back down the mountain, hopped the shuttle and got back on the ship.

 

From the tram:

 

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[April7901]

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We weren’t scheduled to depart until 10:00, but I think I was back on board by 7/7:30 or so. I know I made the solo gathering at 8:00. I’m sure I ate dinner somewhere, though I didn’t make notes on it. I think I watched sail away from my balcony, and then called it a night.

 

Tonight’s towel animal:

 

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[jenseib]

I am all for 12 straight posts of pictures!!! ;) It looks gorgeous!

Did you book this through NCL or on your own. I think this is the same one my friend did when she sailed DCL...or very similar.

So when you get off the ship there is a free shuttle to the main area right? And it's easy to find...and to find coming back as well?

[April7901]

I am all for 12 straight posts of pictures!!! ;) It looks gorgeous!

 

Did you book this through NCL or on your own. I think this is the same one my friend did when she sailed DCL...or very similar.

 

So when you get off the ship there is a free shuttle to the main area right? And it's easy to find...and to find coming back as well?

 

 

I booked all my excursions privately. I started by researching what could be done in each port, prioritizing what I wanted to do, and then researching vendors using CC and TripAdvisor.

 

The shuttle is super easy in both places. It's literally right at the top of the walkway getting off the ship. Coming back, it's the same place as where you're dropped off.

 

Just make sure it's the NCL shuttle - speaking for all ports. Since this was an early ship, the ports weren't crowded. But the shuttles are all clearly labeled.

[bluecartakesacruise]

I'm really enjoying your review. We were also on your sailing (wonderful cruise), but saw and did different things. It's fun to see your photos of Juneau for a new perspective. Looking forward to your next installment! :D

 

-RonieG- gotta agree on Cagney's, best meals of our cruise (well that and breakfast at the buffet.)

[marelind]

Friday, May 10th

The Cruise Critic meet-up was scheduled for 10 AM in Bliss Lounge. ... It’s tough to be a solo in a group made up of smaller groups...still found that I wasn’t enjoying it, nor was I real interested in inserting myself into the group, so I left.

 

....I found the chicken tenders really lacking.

 

I know what you mean about being a solo in a group. I go to the M&G's alone and sometimes I don't end up talking to anyone, and sometimes I find one or two that I connect with. It is kind of a mixed bag.

 

I have the same opinion on the chicken tenders, too.

[pantherpaw]

I checked on my map, which I’d hung on the wall, our location – hoping we were in whale viewing areas. We weren’t yet, but in about an hour it looked like we’d be in possible orca territory.

 

You had a map that showed possible whale sighting areas? Where did you get it?

Love your reviews!

[schwesterellibelli]

Thanks for sharing your experience and your pictures.I love it.

[RoobyDoo]

April,

 

Thanks very much for writing a review and sharing your great photos! Especially the glacier photos from the Coastal Helicopters excursion, and the shots from the Mt. Roberts Tram.

 

I'll be on a cruisetour in July (with Princess) and have booked the Juneau Icefield Excursion with Coastal. Is that the same one you did? Do you recall how much time you actually spent on the glacier? Their website states about 1 hour total between heli takeoff and heli return. Thanks!

[April7901]

April,

 

Thanks very much for writing a review and sharing your great photos! Especially the glacier photos from the Coastal Helicopters excursion, and the shots from the Mt. Roberts Tram.

 

I'll be on a cruisetour in July (with Princess) and have booked the Juneau Icefield Excursion with Coastal. Is that the same one you did? Do you recall how much time you actually spent on the glacier? Their website states about 1 hour total between heli takeoff and heli return. Thanks!

 

Yes, I think that's the one. I think we were about 20 minutes in the air, 20 minute son the glacier, and 20 minutes in the air. It felt like longer on the glacier itself. We were the only ship in port, though, so they were not crazy busy that day.

[April7901]

You had a map that showed possible whale sighting areas? Where did you get it?

Love your reviews!

 

I had purchased a book, The Alaska Cruise Handbook, by Joe Upton. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979491576?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

 

It had a tear-out map that showed common ship routes and common whale sighting areas.

 

I found this to be the better of the two book/map combinations that I had ordered.

 

The other was helpful (Anne Vipond's Alaska by Cruise Ship), but I liked Upton's map better.

 

I took magnets with me and just stuck it up on the wall.

[April7901]

I'm really enjoying your review. We were also on your sailing (wonderful cruise), but saw and did different things. It's fun to see your photos of Juneau for a new perspective. Looking forward to your next installment! :D

 

-RonieG- gotta agree on Cagney's, best meals of our cruise (well that and breakfast at the buffet.)

 

Ah, nice! Yeah, there were so many choices in the ports that it could almost seem like a completely different trip!

[April7901]

I know what you mean about being a solo in a group. I go to the M&G's alone and sometimes I don't end up talking to anyone, and sometimes I find one or two that I connect with. It is kind of a mixed bag.

 

Absolutely. I went to a CC M&G on my Jade Mediterranean cruise and enjoyed the M&G itself, but never really saw anyone around the ship after (it was packed). I didn't go to it on my Epic Eastern Caribbean because I didn't like how the roll call was going - it was one giant group and then the "others" - and I really, really did not like "ringleader" of that group.

 

I honestly think that just a different venue would've changed the tone of this one tremendously. It's just so tough to create a social environment in Bliss if you're dealing with a larger group.

[Cavetti2013]

Looking forward to the rest of your review. I am curious about Sitka since it is not a normal stop on most cruises. Also did the ships clock change after you left Seattle and go to Alaska time and change back before arriving back in Seattle.

[GoAndHaveFun]

Absolutely. I went to a CC M&G on my Jade Mediterranean cruise and enjoyed the M&G itself, but never really saw anyone around the ship after (it was packed). I didn't go to it on my Epic Eastern Caribbean because I didn't like how the roll call was going - it was one giant group and then the "others" - and I really, really did not like "ringleader" of that group.

 

I honestly think that just a different venue would've changed the tone of this one tremendously. It's just so tough to create a social environment in Bliss if you're dealing with a larger group.

 

As someone who has never been to a M&G, I am curious about what you mean by "one giant group and then the others"? Was it like there would be a big group of people chatting it up but then other small, cliqueish groups?

 

Sorry to hear that there were people at M&G that weren't talking to solo cruisers. I have never cruised solo but I do attend events by myself (as my parents aren't into those) and I have definitely noticed it can be a mixed bag. Sometimes they can be welcoming for solo cruisers while at other times, it's obvious that the event is targeted for a group (like Quest game). I am also curious on how solo meetups go despite I am not technically cruising solo.

[April7901]

Looking forward to the rest of your review. I am curious about Sitka since it is not a normal stop on most cruises. Also did the ships clock change after you left Seattle and go to Alaska time and change back before arriving back in Seattle.

 

Yes, we did time changes. Notices were left with the Dailies the night before.

[April7901]

As someone who has never been to a M&G, I am curious about what you mean by "one giant group and then the others"? Was it like there would be a big group of people chatting it up but then other small, cliqueish groups?

 

Sorry to hear that there were people at M&G that weren't talking to solo cruisers. I have never cruised solo but I do attend events by myself (as my parents aren't into those) and I have definitely noticed it can be a mixed bag. Sometimes they can be welcoming for solo cruisers while at other times, it's obvious that the event is targeted for a group (like Quest game). I am also curious on how solo meetups go despite I am not technically cruising solo.

 

On the Epic roll call, it was obvious that most of the posters already knew each other. So the posts from outsiders were often left ignored, unanswered, etc. It just got really awkward on the board, and so I stopped posting and didn't bother attending.

 

To defend those at the M&G, I met more than a few as the cruise went on and everyone was very friendly. But as a solo, walking into a room filled with people who already know others in the room, it was awkward. I'm super introverted, so inserting myself or walking up and just introducing myself wasn't exactly comfortable. Again, I think a different venue might have made a huge difference.

 

We had folks attending the solo gathering who knew others on the ship but still came to the solo stuff. It's a pretty welcoming group, but I found that the tone was really set by the cruise director's staff that runs it. We were fortunate in that Matt was really a friendly and outgoing person who made sure that everyone felt included.

[GoAndHaveFun]

On the Epic roll call, it was obvious that most of the posters already knew each other. So the posts from outsiders were often left ignored, unanswered, etc. It just got really awkward on the board, and so I stopped posting and didn't bother attending.

 

To defend those at the M&G, I met more than a few as the cruise went on and everyone was very friendly. But as a solo, walking into a room filled with people who already know others in the room, it was awkward. I'm super introverted, so inserting myself or walking up and just introducing myself wasn't exactly comfortable. Again, I think a different venue might have made a huge difference.

 

We had folks attending the solo gathering who knew others on the ship but still came to the solo stuff. It's a pretty welcoming group, but I found that the tone was really set by the cruise director's staff that runs it. We were fortunate in that Matt was really a friendly and outgoing person who made sure that everyone felt included.

 

Oh wow, that just sounds really cliqueish. Like I can understand getting to know one another on the forums prior to the actual meet & greet but to ignore other posters, that's just messed up.

 

Just like you, I am also very introverted though I still love attending events like 70s Party or White Hot Party by myself and just dance away. I also enjoy chatting with random people at the casino, elevators, shore excursions, buffet etc but I know one thing I don't like is forced interactions (like walking up to people and introducing yourself in hopes of breaking into a convo..like you said).

 

Other than the Getaway cruise director staff, I have realized I am not really a fan of them as it seems like they only talk to girls at events and I don't ever see them interact with guys who attend events by themselves. I think I will go check out the solos meetup my upcoming cruise this Sunday.

[April7901]

May 10, 2015

 

Day four found us in Skagway, and I had an early day planned. I got up early to watch us arrive, and then headed to O’Sheehan’s for breakfast. My tour, booked through Chilkoot Charters, was supposed to meet at 7:30 AM, so there was no dilly dallying today. I did take a few pics of our arrival.

 

Untitled by april7901, on Flickr

 

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I was off the ship shortly after 7, and met up with Kevin, our guide for the day. The itinerary had us taking the White Pass Railway into Fraser, BC, where we would transfer to a mini bus and continue our trip up into the Yukon Territory. We would stop in Carcross for lunch and, for me, a dogcart ride, and then head back down into Skagway.

 

We waited for the rest of those booked and then headed to the train depot. We were loaded into the last car on the train, which only had a few cars, since the Pearl was the only ship in port. Soon enough, we were departing the train for a leisurely train ride up the mountain.

 

Needless to say, the scenery was beautiful. It was hard to decide where to look! I spent much of the trip out on one of the platforms between cars, though admittedly, had I been thinking, I would have moved to the car in front of us before we actually left, and then I’d have had the entire platform to myself! Folks were mostly great about rotating around so everyone could get great photos.

 

One word of caution – even if it’s 80 degrees in Skagway, make sure you’re prepared for the temperatures at the top of the mountain. It got real chilly the closer we got to the top!