Just booked our first cruise!

[AdrianaDeLaCruz]

Hi everyone! My DH and I just booked our first cruise for August 14th-21st to Alaska on the Norwegian Pearl. He's 46 and I'm 34 with no kids. I am super excited and I tried to do as much research on each of the cruise lines before we booked but of course there are mixed reviews for all of the cruise lines. Anyone taken a cruise on the Pearl to Alaska recently? Any tips or feedback? We are so new at the whole cruising thing hahaha. Also, we purchased the adult beverage package, is the 18% gratuity per drink added to your room or...? What are the best excursions?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

 

 

First time cruiser,

Adriana

 

~Cruising in August 2016!~

[Clarea]

Hi everyone! My DH and I just booked our first cruise for August 14th-21st to Alaska on the Norwegian Pearl. He's 46 and I'm 34 with no kids. I am super excited and I tried to do as much research on each of the cruise lines before we booked but of course there are mixed reviews for all of the cruise lines. Anyone taken a cruise on the Pearl to Alaska recently? Any tips or feedback? We are so new at the whole cruising thing hahaha. Also, we purchased the adult beverage package, is the 18% gratuity per drink added to your room or...? What are the best excursions?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

 

 

First time cruiser,

Adriana

 

~Cruising in August 2016!~

Congratulations on booking your first cruise and welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

You may also want to ask this on the dedicated NCL forum here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=107

 

Better chance for more folks with direct experience to see your question there.

Edited July 29, 2016 by clarea

[Scrapnana]

Congratulations on your first cruise. Prepared to become addicted!

 

The Yukon and White Pass Railway out of Skagway is a must IMHO. I did an excursion that combined a trip by bus to the Yukon territory and visited Caribou Crossing. We then came back to Skagway on the railroad. Expensive but an amazing day!

Edited July 30, 2016 by Scrapnana

[Keith1010]

Congratulations on booking your first cruise.

 

Be sure to visit the Ports Of Call Board and your Cruise Line Board.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Congratulations on booking your first cruise -- and to Alaska.

Whale watching tours are great -- they are offered in several ports. Juneau is a great place for this. Also in Juneau you can take the Blue Bus out to Mendenhal Glacier.

Ketchikan -- Totem Bight, Saxmon Village and a walk to Creek Street.

[trystran72]

Haven't taken NCL but Alaska is amazing and I hope you have a great cruise! We saw SO many whales this time on many of the days it was really a delight. My favorite excursion was Wings Airways float plane trip over the Juneau ice fields. Have fun & enjoy every minute! :)

[Eleteace]

Heya!

 

I am so so jealous. NCL are my favourite cruise line. Theres a couple of strange rules/things not included in the drinks package which I have written about here https://cruisingisntjustforoldpeople.co.uk/2016/09/10/ncls-unlimited-beverage-package/. It may be useful to you, I wish I knew some of them before cruising!

 

Have a fabulous time. Im so so jealous.

[bazbov]

Hello and congrats on booking your first cruise. Haven't done NCL to Alaska but we were lucky enough to do P&O uk Arcadia's maiden voyage around USA inc Alaska and we had a fab time. Alaska is Stunning. Have a wonderful journey and enjoy it. :)