Norwegian Encore – The Great Cruise Comeback Live

[Oceansaway17]

4 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

No, silly. We’re a bird, so we flew out to film the ship. 

 

 

OR did the ship's photographer take a lifeboat out to photo the ship.  that sound about right?

[Tucsoncruisers]

What a beautiful day!

[libtrek]

I think I read Ward Cove is 6-7 miles out of downtown. If so, most are going to want a shuttle. We have private tour scheduled in September, and he will be picking us up at port.

[Diane67B]

Hi Bird, just jumping on the “you rock” train. Thank you.

[ColoradoTravelGirl]

8 hours ago, TSUmom said:

I agree with you!  We never turn on the TV - cruising is our escape from everything in the real world!

 

 

Cool story Bro...

 

You can still escape and watch movies...

 

You enjoy yours and let others enjoy theirs. 

 

 

[Old & Retired]

1 hour ago, wacruiselover said:

How does one travel from the new Ward Cove Terminal to Creek Street? Are their public buses for those who choose to visit Creek Street on their own or is it just a short walk?

This really stinks.  It is a 7 mile bus ride to town.  Thought we had it bad in Juneau with the AJ dock, but now we have yet another bus ride to town.  Hoonah has about a 1 mile walk to town. You can't really get around this one. 7 miles is a bit too far to walk.  Packed into busses and the waits are miserable.  I won't be looking forward to this.

[andychris]

Do the NCL excursions pick you up at the dock in each port or do you need to take the shuttle/bus/gondola into town?

thank you

[fastpitchdad]

1 hour ago, andychris said:

Do the NCL excursions pick you up at the dock in each port or do you need to take the shuttle/bus/gondola into town?

thank you

That was my question as well, the excursion we booked says we get picked up at the pier. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, andychris said:

Do the NCL excursions pick you up at the dock in each port or do you need to take the shuttle/bus/gondola into town?

thank you

NCL shore excursions pick up at the port in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. There are no roads to the Wilderness Landing in Icy Strait, so you need to catch the gondola to the main cruise port. 

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

OR did the ship's photographer take a lifeboat out to photo the ship.  that sound about right?

 Nope. 
 

The photo was taken by The Bird as the Encore got about 1/2 down Endicott Arm. 

[BirdTravels]

The new Ketchikan Ward Cove terminal. Dirt roads leading up to the cleaned out pulp mill. 
 

[joeflow80]

38 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 Nope. 
 

The photo was taken by The Bird as the Encore got about 1/2 down Endicott Arm. 

Love the photos, along with the rest of the thread. Did you do the small boat excursion into the Arm? It appears you were able to get quite a bit further than the big boat somehow. Can you confirm? We have this excursion booked next week, and my GF is still a little skeptical of the benefits of this trip.

[NikiPinkston]

I'm a little confused.  How far is Creek Street from the new terminal?

[BirdTravels]

13 minutes ago, NikiPinkston said:

I'm a little confused.  How far is Creek Street from the new terminal?

7 miles. $8 roundtrip shuttle. 25 min each way. 
 

Today, there was only one HAL ship at the downtown dock. 
 

Yesterday, there were no ships at the downtown Juneau docks. 
 

To rub salt in the wound, our ShoreEx drove through town on our return and the driver would not drop us off. He said that it was NCL policy. So,,, after being at creek street, it was 25 minutes back to Ward Cove and 25 minutes (and $8) to return. 

Edited August 13, 2021 by BirdTravels

[Wvshimmy]

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Sailing to the glacier was amazing (avoid hitting those blue things). 

 

Awesome pics!

[Wink87]

9 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

7 miles. $8 roundtrip shuttle. 25 min each way. 
 

Today, there was only one HAL ship at the downtown dock. 
 

Yesterday, there were no ships at the downtown Juneau docks. 
 

To rub salt in the wound, our ShoreEx drove through town on our return and the driver would not drop us off. He said that it was NCL policy. So,,, after being at creek street, it was 25 minutes back to Ward Cove and 25 minutes (and $8) to return. 

Not thrilled with this dock situation.

[Wink87]

Just now, Wink87 said:

Not thrilled with this dock situation.

Does NCL by chance have the little cart type vehicles to transport folks from just off the ship into the pulp mill? DH does not use a scooter but is on oxygen and that looks like too much of a walk for him.

[BirdTravels]

4 minutes ago, Wink87 said:

Does NCL by chance have the little cart type vehicles to transport folks from just off the ship into the pulp mill? DH does not use a scooter but is on oxygen and that looks like too much of a walk for him.

There was wheelchairs at the gangway to help folks up the [steep] floating pier to the mill. 
 

In Icy Strait, there was an electric cart from the gangway to the gondolas. 

[BirdTravels]

Day 6 Main Dining Room

 

(Remember, NCL has 14 menus that they cycle through at the discretion of the Executive Chef.)

[Wink87]

20 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

There was wheelchairs at the gangway to help folks up the [steep] floating pier to the mill. 
 

In Icy Strait, there was an electric cart from the gangway to the gondolas. 

Oh gosh, thank you for all your knowledge and observations!

[cruiservictor]

I see you are just pulling away from Ward Cove. May you have calm seas on your way back to Seattle. If you see GM Deepak before you disembark, would you ask him if he will still be onboard for the 9/11 and 9/18 sailings?  Nancy and I had several wonderful cruises with him on the Escape out of NY a few years ago, and it would be great to see him again. Thanks. 

[Shellbelle28]

55 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

7 miles. $8 roundtrip shuttle. 25 min each way. 
 

Today, there was only one HAL ship at the downtown dock. 
 

Yesterday, there were no ships at the downtown Juneau docks. 
 

To rub salt in the wound, our ShoreEx drove through town on our return and the driver would not drop us off. He said that it was NCL policy. So,,, after being at creek street, it was 25 minutes back to Ward Cove and 25 minutes (and $8) to return. 

Wow! None of that is good. And doesn't seem that great for Ketchikan either. 

[Maplemoose]

Thank you, Bird for all the enlightenment. I am reaching a conclusion that I would love to cruise the Encore, but not to Alaska. I am sure the scenery is great but those ports seem to be a big hassle with the need to line up for shuttles and gondolas to go anywhere. 

[NCLGirl2013]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Day 6 Main Dining Room

 

(Remember, NCL has 14 menus that they cycle through at the discretion of the Executive Chef.)

 

 

That's interesting! I don't think I knew that. I knew it changed every so often but I thought it was fleet wide the same menus every time. Thank you! 

[Sitting here]

Awesome job Bird!! Loving this thread. Juneau questions.  We have a NCL excursion going to Mendenhall Glacier (3 1/2 hrs).  Then we are hoping to visit the state capitol.  It sounds like the excursion will pick us up at the AJ dock? But then we will have to ride the bus all the way back to the AJ dock instead of getting dropped off anywhere closer to downtown?  Then either walk the 1.6 mi one way to the capitol from AJ or take a shuttle (free or pay??) the mile to the visitor center near main cruise terminals and then walk the remaining .6 mi to capitol?  And reverse it back to the ship. Concerned all of the extra back and forth may take too much time and make this not possible.