It's time for some Mojitos - NCL Encore Live Review Sept 4th 2021

[nslatin]

Where did they do the testing?

[aubreyc1988]

Have a mojito with me! 😍🥳👏🏼

[gknep]

I'm on next week's sailing. Can't wait for my first on board beverage. 

[SenatorsFan]

6 minutes ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Have a mojito with me! 😍🥳👏🏼

Yes, please, that's my favourite kind. 🍹 Excellent packing suggestions, too BTW. Have fun.

[Wink87]

On 9/3/2021 at 10:30 AM, aubreyc1988 said:

Hey all, so excited to give you guys a LIVE review on Encore this upcoming week! I have the basic unlimited wifi, I hope that it is fast enough to post some good photos and such for you!

 

1) Feel free to ask any questions, I will do my best to answer them 👍

2)  🍹 I am a glass very full sort of person. I don't mind waiting in line, hiccups, etc. So if you are looking for a review filled with outrage and such, this will not be it. 

3) I hope you enjoy the review! 😄

 

Quick Details: I am flying out tomorrow morning at 7am Central time, out DFW airport to SEA with the airfare promo and transfers to the port. I got my negative PCR test yesterday morning as a precaution, and I have been in a self quarantine for 3 weeks since both my husband and I work from home. We are both DINKS, no kids, two dogs, we like to drink, we do not smoke, we do gamble and we love a good meal or two. We have done Alaska before with NCL in 2019, on the Bliss, almost same itinerary except the Bliss went to Skagway. We are sailing comped through Casinos At Sea, and have a balcony cabin on deck 9 that is angled (woohoo)

 

(I'll be back in a bit to give more pre cruise details, gotta go clean my house and double check my packing 😛)

 

 

Omg I'm going to love this! We are on the Sept 25 cruise.

[milolii]

1 hour ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Have a mojito with me! 😍🥳👏🏼

 Enjoy,  Looks great  Do these come virgin? 

[Miker2k]

7 hours ago, LoveByrds said:Also try the Miami Vice on the pool deck. It's an off menu it that will wow everyone!

 I love the Miami Vice!  Great suggestion. 

[Miker2k]

3 hours ago, nslatin said:

Where did they do the testing?

On-site at the cruise terminal.   We dropped our bags off down at the water level, back up the stairs for testing, back downstairs for check-in, then upstairs for temp screening, then around the corner to get our room keys and boarding group number.   Super streamlined and efficient process.  

[lks93]

Taken up residence at the District Brew House. Please forward all mail.

[lks93]

4 minutes ago, lks93 said:

Taken up residence at the District Brew House. Please forward all mail.

Proud to say we were the very first customers today at District Brew House!

[lks93]

33 minutes ago, lks93 said:

Proud to say we were the very first customers today at District Brew House!

Is Mojito Bar meet up happening at 4?  If so, inside or out?

[BoozinCroozin]

5 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Have a mojito with me! 😍🥳👏🏼

That is one unique "Mojito". Enjoy your cruise.

[aubreyc1988]

Quick photo update! 
 

I’ll post a write up tonight while winding down in bed! Cruise is so lovely so far, crew and most passengers! Almost brings tears of joy to my eyes

[debenson0723]

10 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Have a mojito with me! 😍🥳👏🏼

I did! What a nice relaxing sail away. Having such a wonderful time with everyone. 

[aubreyc1988]

Day 1 Recap: 

 

Wow, what a beautiful day!  I met up with some lovely CC members and old friends from past sailings, had many mojitos, walked around the Encore, enjoyed a quick one hour nap, went to buffet, saw the opening night magic show and gambled a little, all on 2-3 hrs of sleep! 

 

Some thoughts:

 

Everything with the flight/transfer/testing/check in went super smooth. Any hiccups that were present in the first sailings seem to be taken care of.  I will say I probably will never fly in the day of the cruise again, just because in order to get the first flight out of the airport, you have to get up SUPER early and kind of starts off your cruise with being SUPER exhausted.  I definitely prefer flying in the day before and being well rested, but it was cool to try to "day of" approach. I finally braved it and now I am going back to my usual. 

 

We ate in Taste for lunch which was very good, had the buffet for supper which was meh, and we ate a few apps at The Local (mac and cheese and pretzel bites) which were not good.  The liquid cheese on the mac and cheese had split and tasted BLEH, and the pretzel bites were just hard and the cheese had zero flavor. But hey, it's free and that is OK, but hopefully tomorrow will be better for food (we do have reservations at Ocean Blue) I mostly get kinda of meh about blah tasting food because it's got to be worth the calories, you know?!?!

 

Because it takes so long to get out into international waters, casino didn't open until around 9:30-10pm. Normally I'd hit the slots for a few hours, but we were so tired I only played 2-3 games and my husband played Pai Gow for about 20 minutes before we called it quits for the night.  I told him "my eyes are literally burning, so I know I just have to call it". It's sad, because there is SO much I want to do tonight, but tomorrow is a brand new day. Hopefully I can sleep in and party all night long tomorrow. We did end up 80.00, which for 20 minutes of play is great! Although tomorrow will be a different story I am sure haha!

 

Choir of Man will not be playing on this weeks cruise due to "technical difficulties".  It's fine, I'd watch a crew member roll silverware on stage, I am just so happy to be onboard! 

 

Earlier I said "Most passengers were great". I am going to elaborate on the few "not so great" passengers, so that people reading this can be like "ooooh ok I won't do this".  I don't think the passengers who did this were trying to be rude or obnoxious, they were just a little clueless....OOOOKAY so here goes. At three different occasions at three different bars, I overheard passengers next to me asking the bartenders questions about the crew that tested positive on the prior weeks sailing.  Some of the questions were just downright awful, like "were they thrown overboard" or "Omg I hope you aren't positive", "Do they send them back to their country if the test positive?", all sorts of bizarre questions like this  When the bartenders were obviously very uncomfortable with these questions, especially since they might know these crewmembers, but people kept bombarding them about it, saying give us all the details, how sick are they, etc.  I don't know where these passengers live, but you would think they have 0 community spread by how they were reacting about this to these poor bartenders.  So please, respect the crewmembers/passengers who tested possible, NCL is following proper protocols, contact NCL headquarters or someone at guest services if you have more questions.  Sorry to get on my soapbox but it was SO hard to not say anything to these people at the bar while I was there, but I felt terrible for the bartenders who were put in a tough spot. 

 

ANYHOW, off my soapbox now and onto more fun cruise stuff. Meet and mingle tomorrow, more drinks and gambling, hoping to spot some wildlife perhaps, and Ocean Blue tomorrow! I believe we have a show booked, but can't remember what.  I will also load todays Dailies tomorrow morning. I can't do it tonight because they are on my husbands phone, husband is asleep and I'd get in trouble if I messed with his phone LOL

 

 

 

 

 

[Wink87]

6 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Day 1 Recap: 

 

Wow, what a beautiful day!  I met up with some lovely CC members and old friends from past sailings, had many mojitos, walked around the Encore, enjoyed a quick one hour nap, went to buffet, saw the opening night magic show and gambled a little, all on 2-3 hrs of sleep! 

 

Some thoughts:

 

Everything with the flight/transfer/testing/check in went super smooth. Any hiccups that were present in the first sailings seem to be taken care of.  I will say I probably will never fly in the day of the cruise again, just because in order to get the first flight out of the airport, you have to get up SUPER early and kind of starts off your cruise with being SUPER exhausted.  I definitely prefer flying in the day before and being well rested, but it was cool to try to "day of" approach. I finally braved it and now I am going back to my usual. 

 

We ate in Taste for lunch which was very good, had the buffet for supper which was meh, and we ate a few apps at The Local (mac and cheese and pretzel bites) which were not good.  The liquid cheese on the mac and cheese had split and tasted BLEH, and the pretzel bites were just hard and the cheese had zero flavor. But hey, it's free and that is OK, but hopefully tomorrow will be better for food (we do have reservations at Ocean Blue) I mostly get kinda of meh about blah tasting food because it's got to be worth the calories, you know?!?!

 

Because it takes so long to get out into international waters, casino didn't open until around 9:30-10pm. Normally I'd hit the slots for a few hours, but we were so tired I only played 2-3 games and my husband played Pai Gow for about 20 minutes before we called it quits for the night.  I told him "my eyes are literally burning, so I know I just have to call it". It's sad, because there is SO much I want to do tonight, but tomorrow is a brand new day. Hopefully I can sleep in and party all night long tomorrow. We did end up 80.00, which for 20 minutes of play is great! Although tomorrow will be a different story I am sure haha!

 

Choir of Man will not be playing on this weeks cruise due to "technical difficulties".  It's fine, I'd watch a crew member roll silverware on stage, I am just so happy to be onboard! 

 

Earlier I said "Most passengers were great". I am going to elaborate on the few "not so great" passengers, so that people reading this can be like "ooooh ok I won't do this".  I don't think the passengers who did this were trying to be rude or obnoxious, they were just a little clueless....OOOOKAY so here goes. At three different occasions at three different bars, I overheard passengers next to me asking the bartenders questions about the crew that tested positive on the prior weeks sailing.  Some of the questions were just downright awful, like "were they thrown overboard" or "Omg I hope you aren't positive", "Do they send them back to their country if the test positive?", all sorts of bizarre questions like this  When the bartenders were obviously very uncomfortable with these questions, especially since they might know these crewmembers, but people kept bombarding them about it, saying give us all the details, how sick are they, etc.  I don't know where these passengers live, but you would think they have 0 community spread by how they were reacting about this to these poor bartenders.  So please, respect the crewmembers/passengers who tested possible, NCL is following proper protocols, contact NCL headquarters or someone at guest services if you have more questions.  Sorry to get on my soapbox but it was SO hard to not say anything to these people at the bar while I was there, but I felt terrible for the bartenders who were put in a tough spot. 

 

ANYHOW, off my soapbox now and onto more fun cruise stuff. Meet and mingle tomorrow, more drinks and gambling, hoping to spot some wildlife perhaps, and Ocean Blue tomorrow! I believe we have a show booked, but can't remember what.  I will also load todays Dailies tomorrow morning. I can't do it tonight because they are on my husbands phone, husband is asleep and I'd get in trouble if I messed with his phone LOL

 

 

 

 

 

You are really amping me up for my Sept 25 turn! Your posts are great!!!

[BeerMan007]

Great review. Wife and I just returned from last week's Encore sailing. Some quick comments:

   - Initial testing/check in: Very easy. There seemed to be at least two testing locations (Marriott and across the street/upstairs). We went upstairs, and were in/out in 25 minutes (your badge of completion is a pink wrist band). The check in process seemed to be spaced out where each station (passport, temperature check/health questions, key issue) were walk up service. Once onboard, we went directly to Taste/Savor to check in for our lifeboat station. For those who ask about "other/previous" tests, I don't think the Eurofin team will issue a pink band for someone else's test. We were on  Norwegian-sponsored pre-excursion, got tested in Anchorage the day prior (at their direction) and still had to re-test with Eurofins.  But it was quick, easy, nasal swab (as opposed to the test that seems to want a sample from your brain stem).

   - Icy Straight Point: The new dock area has a souvenir store. There was almost no wait for the tram ride (I waited onboard for 30 minutes before going ashore). The tram is a 4 minute ride to the old dock (or you could walk for 15 minutes).  At the old dock, you can watch the zip liners (for free), sit around a fire outside the restaurant/bar, walk along the wooden walk way to the old cannery, take a picture of the whale statue, explore the shops, or review the salmon catch/packing/canning exhibits.  We paid $5 for a round trip shuttle (every 20  minutes - like a Disney parking lot shuttle - 3 cars, about 60 people per trip) to go into "town".  We walked around town, took some pictures of totems and were ready for the next 20 minute shuttle (lightly narrated) back to the cannery.  I wish I would have stopped for Alaskan oysters.  My wife went whale watching - Icy Straight "guarantees" whale sightings.  She saw a pod bubble feeding and enjoyed her trip.

   - Whales: look for them going into Icy Straight

   - Skagway: may not be on some itineraries.  Yukon Gold rush town. wooden raised sidewalks. Took the narrow gauge railway up to mile marker 14 (the rest closed due to track work).

   - Juneau: took Mendenhall Glacier tour and tram ride to top of mountain and were pressed for time at that point.  So no free salmon tasting opportunity.  Given that we saw Dawes Glacier later that day, I might have opted for a self tour of Juneau (Red Onion Bar?) and the tram ride on our own.  The Endicott Arm sailing was very narrow and scenic.  If you want the glacier experience, then take a glacier tour.  A couple pictures from go cart track observation deck was fine for me.

   - Ketchakan: Totems.  Creek Street was really neat with salmon swimming upstream (trying to avoid the feeding seals/sea lions), and the "free" salmon ladder (with some salmon jumping to try to make it up the rapids) was an unexpected highlight. Lunch at the Alaskan Fish House (got the fish/chips with one Halibut, one Salmon, One Cod, and a small salmon chowder) with a couple cocktails on a "usual" rainy day.  This place is immediately next door to the Lumberjack show - some might find the show cheesy, but I enjoyed the chopping, sawing, climbing, and log rolling.  One team is a father/son combination.  Junior is a big man that needed to crunch down in the background of a picture just to fit him in.  I had LL Bean Maine hunting boots (rubber bottom/leather top) for the rain and was happy to have them. The Ward Cove shops were selling a lot rain coats to people who didn't pack for Alaska.

   - Ward Cove: obviously still a work in progress. Big open warehouse had several vendors. We didn't wait long for a bus (were loaded on the 2nd bus). The driver gives some narration along the 20 minute ride and you get to see how the locals live/shop/work. A Holland American ship was docked right in town.  Pick the cruise line and docking that suits your fancy.

   - Transfer to SEA airport: we had a 1005am flight (arranged by NCL), so we were required to do a self-assist off load which went fine.  0715 call away, we went to Deck 7, through the Local and Theater, then off the ship. No Customs/Immigration. Right on to a bus.  30 minutes to the airport with some driver narration.  We were checked in, through TSA pre-check (ckpt #4) and at our gate by 0845-0900.

 

Shows:

   - Kinky Boots: in my opinion, at least 30 minutes too long. Singing, dancing, musical with drag queens.  

   - Choir of Men: sorry if this is not scheduled.  Fun, high energy show. I had low expectations for an all male cast, but a bar setting where they send free beer out to the audience before the show is a neat concept for me.

   - Magician: more comedy than magic, but I enjoyed the first short show.

   - Beatles: great music, but I enjoyed the Epic Beatles group more.  Paul should play left handed to be authentic.  Encore's George Harrison, while talented, bears zero resemblance to the Fab 4.  I didn't go to the Cavern Club for a show.

   - Comedians: everybody's funny bone is different.  

 

Food:

   - Ocean Blue: Halibut and Tiger Shrimp

   - Cagney's: Rib eye (the waiter recommended the French Onion Soup over the Lobster Bisque and I didn't listen)

   - Main Dining Room/Taste/Savor: sufficient, but not spectacular.  I was hoping for more Salmon/Halibut dishes.

   - Buffet: Lox every morning. Salmon chowder (Juneau lunch?) was very good.

 

More as I think of it.

[aubreyc1988]

2 hours ago, Wink87 said:

You are really amping me up for my Sept 25 turn! Your posts are great!!!

Great to hear! Sorry about all the spelling errors guys! Most of the time I am on my phone + a few mojitos in haha! I am no @BirdTravels but I am authentic! 
 

This morning we are rocking’ and a roll in’ towards Icy Strait Point! 
 

We are a yummy little breakfast in the buffet and are enjoying a morning coffee in the observation lounge! Wow, I can’t get over how empty the ship is! I won’t lie, it’s great finding seats so easily but there is a little bit of that energy missing, but that could also be because this is an Alaskan sailing 

 

Here's a picture of me, no makeup selfie on my balcony

 

After I leave the balcony, I'll take some updated photos of it and post on here, my lovely room steward (that I haven't met yet) responded to a note I left and put a lounger on my balcony! Makes the waterfront overhang not a big deal, the angled balcony is a luxury I love. Weather is "nice" right now out on the balcony with a coat. Earlier I said my balcony faced forward and I was wrong, I believe it faces aft...but the elongated partitions really blocks out the wind, making it more comfortable than sitting out on the waterfront. 

 

 

[Old & Retired]

1 hour ago, BeerMan007 said:

Great review. Wife and I just returned from last week's Encore sailing. Some quick comments:

   - Initial testing/check in: Very easy. There seemed to be at least two testing locations (Marriott and across the street/upstairs). We went upstairs, and were in/out in 25 minutes (your badge of completion is a pink wrist band). The check in process seemed to be spaced out where each station (passport, temperature check/health questions, key issue) were walk up service. Once onboard, we went directly to Taste/Savor to check in for our lifeboat station. For those who ask about "other/previous" tests, I don't think the Eurofin team will issue a pink band for someone else's test. We were on  Norwegian-sponsored pre-excursion, got tested in Anchorage the day prior (at their direction) and still had to re-test with Eurofins.  But it was quick, easy, nasal swab (as opposed to the test that seems to want a sample from your brain stem).

   - Icy Straight Point: The new dock area has a souvenir store. There was almost no wait for the tram ride (I waited onboard for 30 minutes before going ashore). The tram is a 4 minute ride to the old dock (or you could walk for 15 minutes).  At the old dock, you can watch the zip liners (for free), sit around a fire outside the restaurant/bar, walk along the wooden walk way to the old cannery, take a picture of the whale statue, explore the shops, or review the salmon catch/packing/canning exhibits.  We paid $5 for a round trip shuttle (every 20  minutes - like a Disney parking lot shuttle - 3 cars, about 60 people per trip) to go into "town".  We walked around town, took some pictures of totems and were ready for the next 20 minute shuttle (lightly narrated) back to the cannery.  I wish I would have stopped for Alaskan oysters.  My wife went whale watching - Icy Straight "guarantees" whale sightings.  She saw a pod bubble feeding and enjoyed her trip.

   - Whales: look for them going into Icy Straight

   - Skagway: may not be on some itineraries.  Yukon Gold rush town. wooden raised sidewalks. Took the narrow gauge railway up to mile marker 14 (the rest closed due to track work).

   - Juneau: took Mendenhall Glacier tour and tram ride to top of mountain and were pressed for time at that point.  So no free salmon tasting opportunity.  Given that we saw Dawes Glacier later that day, I might have opted for a self tour of Juneau (Red Onion Bar?) and the tram ride on our own.  The Endicott Arm sailing was very narrow and scenic.  If you want the glacier experience, then take a glacier tour.  A couple pictures from go cart track observation deck was fine for me.

   - Ketchakan: Totems.  Creek Street was really neat with salmon swimming upstream (trying to avoid the feeding seals/sea lions), and the "free" salmon ladder (with some salmon jumping to try to make it up the rapids) was an unexpected highlight. Lunch at the Alaskan Fish House (got the fish/chips with one Halibut, one Salmon, One Cod, and a small salmon chowder) with a couple cocktails on a "usual" rainy day.  This place is immediately next door to the Lumberjack show - some might find the show cheesy, but I enjoyed the chopping, sawing, climbing, and log rolling.  One team is a father/son combination.  Junior is a big man that needed to crunch down in the background of a picture just to fit him in.  I had LL Bean Maine hunting boots (rubber bottom/leather top) for the rain and was happy to have them. The Ward Cove shops were selling a lot rain coats to people who didn't pack for Alaska.

   - Ward Cove: obviously still a work in progress. Big open warehouse had several vendors. We didn't wait long for a bus (were loaded on the 2nd bus). The driver gives some narration along the 20 minute ride and you get to see how the locals live/shop/work. A Holland American ship was docked right in town.  Pick the cruise line and docking that suits your fancy.

   - Transfer to SEA airport: we had a 1005am flight (arranged by NCL), so we were required to do a self-assist off load which went fine.  0715 call away, we went to Deck 7, through the Local and Theater, then off the ship. No Customs/Immigration. Right on to a bus.  30 minutes to the airport with some driver narration.  We were checked in, through TSA pre-check (ckpt #4) and at our gate by 0845-0900.

 

Shows:

   - Kinky Boots: in my opinion, at least 30 minutes too long. Singing, dancing, musical with drag queens.  

   - Choir of Men: sorry if this is not scheduled.  Fun, high energy show. I had low expectations for an all male cast, but a bar setting where they send free beer out to the audience before the show is a neat concept for me.

   - Magician: more comedy than magic, but I enjoyed the first short show.

   - Beatles: great music, but I enjoyed the Epic Beatles group more.  Paul should play left handed to be authentic.  Encore's George Harrison, while talented, bears zero resemblance to the Fab 4.  I didn't go to the Cavern Club for a show.

   - Comedians: everybody's funny bone is different.  

 

Food:

   - Ocean Blue: Halibut and Tiger Shrimp

   - Cagney's: Rib eye (the waiter recommended the French Onion Soup over the Lobster Bisque and I didn't listen)

   - Main Dining Room/Taste/Savor: sufficient, but not spectacular.  I was hoping for more Salmon/Halibut dishes.

   - Buffet: Lox every morning. Salmon chowder (Juneau lunch?) was very good.

 

More as I think of it.

Good info!  Keep it coming.

[MichiganBound]

14 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Quick photo update! 
 

I’ll post a write up tonight while winding down in bed! Cruise is so lovely so far, crew and most passengers! Almost brings tears of joy to my eyes

That prime rib looks outstanding.  I can't believe they cut it that thick!!  I hope it tasted as good as it looks.  

[Wink87]

1 hour ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Great to hear! Sorry about all the spelling errors guys! Most of the time I am on my phone + a few mojitos in haha! I am no @BirdTravels but I am authentic! 
 

This morning we are rocking’ and a roll in’ towards Icy Strait Point! 
 

We are a yummy little breakfast in the buffet and are enjoying a morning coffee in the observation lounge! Wow, I can’t get over how empty the ship is! I won’t lie, it’s great finding seats so easily but there is a little bit of that energy missing, but that could also be because this is an Alaskan sailing 

 

Here's a picture of me, no makeup selfie on my balcony

 

After I leave the balcony, I'll take some updated photos of it and post on here, my lovely room steward (that I haven't met yet) responded to a note I left and put a lounger on my balcony! Makes the waterfront overhang not a big deal, the angled balcony is a luxury I love. Weather is "nice" right now out on the balcony with a coat. Earlier I said my balcony faced forward and I was wrong, I believe it faces aft...but the elongated partitions really blocks out the wind, making it more comfortable than sitting out on the waterfront. 

 

 

Cute cute cute!

[aubreyc1988]

Played some slots, got a few bonuses but still lost money 😆 it was fun tho! 
  
general manager just said only 2300 passengers onboard, and it definitely feels sparse in the cruise ship. He also said no unvaccinated people, even vendors/contractors/etc are allowed, if you are not fully vaccinated, you don’t step on the ship 

 

included a photo of our angled balcony on deck 9, my room steward gave us a lounger which is SO nice! 
 

also, love the alcohol facts lol! 
 

my perfume roller is my mantra! It’s so nice being onboard, hard to describe! Everyone is so nice and people are kind of just automatically doing social distancing in theatres and such! 

Edited September 5, 2021 by aubreyc1988

[The Traveling Man]

23 hours ago, Miker2k said:

On-site at the cruise terminal.   We dropped our bags off down at the water level, back up the stairs for testing, back downstairs for check-in, then upstairs for temp screening, then around the corner to get our room keys and boarding group number.   Super streamlined and efficient process.  

We were on last week's cruise.  As we were getting off the ship yesterday, we could see a line of passengers waiting to be tested at the International Trade Mart across the street from the pier.  That's where we were tested last week, so it looks like NCL will continue with multiple testing locations, at least for a while. 

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said:

general manager just said only 2300 passengers onboard, and it definitely feels sparse in the cruise ship. He also said no unvaccinated people, even vendors/contractors/etc are allowed, if you are not fully vaccinated, you don’t step on the ship 

 

It seems like the passenger count keeps dropping by about 100 per week.  We had about 2400 on our cruise last week.  A month ago they had about 2700.

[cruiservictor]

Really enjoying your pictures and reports. My wife and I embark when you disembark. If possible, would you let me know who the Captain, the General Manager and the Cruise Director are?  Thank you very much and we look forward to the rest of your reports. Have a great week.