NCL Princess or HAL for Alaska?

[justletmecruiseok]

Dad (elderly and disabled), brother (30s) and I (30s) are booked on a surprise (for them) 7-day Alaskan cruise on NCL Encore next June. It's the round trip Seattle itinerary visiting Glacier Bay, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan with balconies. It's both our first ever cruise and first Alaskan cruise, so should be exciting! I'm having some second thoughts about the itinerary, though, and wondering if we should book on Princess or HAL instead? Here's why I chose the Encore:

 

• The ship looks modern and upscale with lots of amenities, which is our vibe
• Given dad's disability, round trip has shorter flights than north or southbound, and Seattle is slightly easier than Vancouver, since domestic flights mean shorter travel days
• NCL's laid back, do what you want when you want attitude mirrors our approach to vacations
• Attractions like laser tag, VR, go karts, water slides etc would appeal to my brother and I (in some ways, we're big kids 😁)
• Everyone will enjoy Choir of Man, dad will enjoy the Beatles cover band and live music. 
• The specialty restaurants look exciting (we have free at sea and are amateur foodies)
• In reviewing the dailies, it was easy to find things each of us would enjoy

 

So NCL seemed like a great fit, but now I'm seeing a few potential drawbacks: First, port times aren't great. Juneau is 2:30-11, but most everything except restaurants/bars are closed by 5 or 6; Ketchikan is actually ward cove, so 6 hours in port is probably closer to 3 useable hours. Victoria is a wash since its 3 hours at night. I've heard Alaska cruises are about the ports, but only Skagway has substantial port time. Granted, I found excursions for each port, but I'm concerned it'll feel rushed.  Second, the highlight of the cruise for dad will be the scenery. If I'm understanding correctly, the inside passage shouldn't be missed if scenery is a priority, but this isn't part of the Encore's itinerary. It seems the only way to get inside passage, glacier bay and full-day port times is to take a Vancouver based itinerary on Princess or HAL. Thing is, I'm worried we'll be bored on those ships. It's easy to find things each of us would like on Encore dailies, but notably harder on Ruby Princess/ HAL Koningsdam, where entertainment is less varied and more traditional. But maybe the longer port times make this concern irrelevant?

 

Given the above, do you think our party would be better served sticking with the Encore or switching to Princess or HAL? Two other smaller considerations: 1. The pricing is comparable across all 3 lines so thats a non-issue, and 2. The Encore has accessible aft balconies (better for scenic viewing?), but the Ruby and Koningsdam do not. Appreciate any and all feedback!

 

[MississippiMom]

I cannot wait to read the responses you get.  We started talking last night about an Alaskan cruise for 2025 or 2026.  I’m leaning toward NCL, because of their freestyle cruising, however, I’m not convinced we need THAT many bells & whistles.

[Coral]

I pick itineraries with long port days and with glacier days (2 is preferred, if 1, I try to pick Glacier Bay). The draw to Alaska is Alaska and not the ship. With long port days - I am not worried with what the ship offers. I do like naturalists on the ship and do attend their talks.

 

I personally would never book a NCL cruise due to their times in port, where they dock in Ketchikan, etc....

 

The only time I have ever been bored on a ship in Alaska is when we had fog all day, all week and it was difficult to look at scenery. And it was my first cruise to Alaska and we had crappy port times. Now, I look much closer when I book a cruise.

 

I am not a fan of Seattle departures as their times in port are awful. Most don't realize it until closer to sailing when they are scheduling excursions when they are trying to make something work.

 

I would definitely switch. That is me.

Edited July 9, 2023 by Coral

[TPgal]

Take my advice with a grain of salt as I'm an NCL fan (mostly due to the lack of travel on other lines).  My family (DH& I in our 50's, kid is 12, and our parents 70's&80's) have enjoyed NCL as a nice option that pleases most in our party.   Together we did Alaska and Panama Canal.   It was dressy enough for the grands and casual enough for Hubs, kid & myself.   We've booked a second cruise to Alaska on the Bliss (leaving in mid-August.)

With that said, if this particular trip was my first to Alaska I'd be VERY irate about the port times.  
Juneau:  7am - 1:30p
Ketchikan 6:30 am - 1:15p

 

I'll excuse the silly 4 hour stop in Victoria off the list because this is not a stop for the pax, it's for the "international" stop requirement.  With that said, Butchart Gardens is pretty even at night, but don't go on your own - you must take a ship based excursion w/ transportation because of the abbreviated timeline.  

 

We booked NCL for this cruise because we wanted to play on a larger ship (the Bliss) but acknowledge that the port times are just not acceptable.   You might enjoy getting up at 6 am to walk thru town before it opens, but that's not my idea of a vacation day. You'll probably find us enjoying ship life in Ketchikan rather than re-exploring the cute town. 

 

Our Sitka stop is more reasonable 11am to 6pm, but that's only one out of four.
 

So, long story short:  if you want to get off the ship and see things in Alaska, make sure the stops are to your liking.  

Also, if your party isn't going to be hopping on and off, then I suggest a smaller ship.  Smaller vessels can get closer to the action in the money spots (glacier bay, icy straight).  

We booked an excursion in Juneau that will take us on a smaller catamaran which will meet the expectation of seeing stuff close up.  

 

Either way, have fun.  

[Heidi13]

With 2 full seasons working Alaska cruises and numerous R/T as a pax, any cruise line still sailing to Alaska in October, clearly doesn't know Alaska. I have many reasons that we would never sail NCL, but that is the primary reason for Alaska.

 

Another consideration, since NCL are one of the new cruise lines in Alaska, I note it was one of their ships that impacted a bergy bit in Alaska last year. More experienced cruise lines have been sailing in bergy bit waters without incident for well over 50 years.

 

As @Coral posted, I would also never consider a R/T from Seattle, which spends way too much time in the Pacific Ocean. Seattle is an extra 100 miles each way, plus they must spend time in Victoria. Most of this time is reduced time in port. 

 

HAL and Princess know Alaska, so for a mega ship, I would select either of them.

[GTJ]

On 7/9/2023 at 8:56 AM, Coral said:

The draw to Alaska is Alaska and not the ship.

The mega vessels are fairly interchangable. Sure, each may have a particular focus, and maybe some individual passengers might have "loyalty points" with one carrier or another (those "loyalty points" serving their very purpose if one makes decisions on that basis!), but for the most part there are no critical distinctions. The important differences are the itineraries. The "where" and the "when" of it all. The point of Alaska cruises is Alaska. When planning a trip, lay out all the itineraries, day-by-day, with the the specific hours in each port, in a speadsheet. If relevant, note the itineraries serving Seattle or otherwise using an ocean instead of inland route. Include fares if cost is a decision-making factor. If need be, hide the cruise line and vessel names so that these factors do not influence. Review the timetables. Research individual ports to ascertain what is there, how it will take to visit, and what the times are if things are scheduled (e.g., railroad departure and return times in Skagway). Decide on that basis. Maybe the result will be one-way northbound to Seward/Whittier on one line, and returning from Seward/Whittier on a different line, if that provides the best set of itineraries. All the mega vessel cruise lines have shows. They all have good dining. They all accommodate all types of individuals. Whatever cruise line and vessel it happens to be that will be making that journey, you will have a good and comfortable trip. Only if you're planning an adventure cruise, a small-vessel cruise, or an over-the-top luxury cruise might the line and vessel be of import. Otherwise, pick based on itinerary, not on line or vessel.

Edited July 11, 2023 by GTJ

[quack2]

Many of the Seattle round-trip itineraries have crappy port times.  That's why they tend to be cheaper.

 

Better off doing a north to south from Seward/Whittier to Vancouver, or vice-versa.  Vancouver RT's aren't bad either.

[Oakman58]

I think the pros you list for the Encore outweigh the cons, especially with your father being disabled.  If you do stick with the Seattle itinerary, be sure to look into Seattle's Port Valet.

[tetleytea]

Note that I posted earlier my take, which is to choose between HAL and NCL (which is effectively also choosing between a Seattle roundtrip vs. a Vancouver one-way), and that got quietly deleted.  Apparently, because it was not favorable toward Princess. 

 

Anyway, as I said before, I suggest sticking with Encore. 

 

[Coral]

I actually think you need to figure out if this trip is for you and your brother or your father. If it was for you and your brother - NCL would win.

 

I have traveled extensively (20 years) with a parent who was disabled. I am going to tell you the larger the ship, the more difficult it is for a disabled individual. Encore would be my last choice (regardless of itinerary) for this reason.

 

Also - if the goal is the ship, NCL is the choice. If the goal is to see Alaska - I don't think any of your choices are good.

 

I would focus on seeing Alaska with good port times and finding a smaller ship that will be easier for your father to get around. When he is no longer with you, you can go on whatever ship you want and focus on entertainment at that point.

 

I am guessing there are some smaller ships that do RT out of Vancouver. And the flight to Vancouver is not that much longer than Seattle. Going out of Vancouver (either RT or one way) you will get better port times.

 

As far as location of the ship - it is a long way to the back of the ship if one is disabled. I would pick a more central location. Been there, done that.

[Aquahound]

I have cruised Ruby, Koningsdam, and a sister ship to Encore.  By far, Encore will be the liveliest ship with a ton of activities and great entertainment.  The other 2 ships do not compare in that regard.

 

I recommend avoiding Ruby.  The ship looks and feels dated and has small standard cabins.  You have to book a mini suite in order to get a couch in your room.  I'll never book that ship again.  

 

Koningsdam is a really nice ship and they do have some lively entertainment options.  I think the stateroom showers are the nicest in the business.  

 

If the ship and activities are your priority, Encore is your ship.  If Alaska is your priority, I'd lean more toward K'dam.  

[justletmecruiseok]

Thank you all @Coral @TPgal @Heidi13 @GTJ @quack2 @Oakman58 @tetleytea @Aquahound for such thoughtful feedback! Here's what I've learned from your comments and additional research:

 

• For Alaska, port times/itinerary matter more than ship amenities
• Vancouver departures tend to have better itineraries and longer port times than Seattle
• I should think more critically about what dad's experience will be like with a disability (e.g. I thought he'd love an aft view, but it didn't occur to me that an aft cabin would make getting around more onerous on a daily basis)

 

Some additional info/ answers to your questions:

 

• The core goal for this trip is to spend time together trying something new. As such, dad's needs come before ours. 
• We can only do roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver. Flying is challenging for dad due to his disability; anything non-direct would be too much for him. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from dad's city to the Alaska ports one-way itineraries arrive to/ depart from.
• Due to work, we're limited to weekend departures

 

So given all this, I no longer think NCL is a great fit. When I looked at the docks in detail, I realized we'd have to take shuttles in all the ports: Skagway (in order to pass the rock slide area), Ketchikan (Ward Cove is 5 miles away), and Juneau (the tram, as AJ dock is a mile away). The thought of trying to help dad onto a shuttle while thousands of others do the same sounds stressful (please correct me if I'm blowing this out of proportion). Additionally, NCL's short/awkward port times would limit some of our port activities, which should theoretically be among the trip's highlights. And there is no inside passage.

 

All of which is to say, I went back to the drawing board and after comparing many lines, itineraries, port times, docks etc, I found two that might fit better:

 

1. Discovery Princess - RT from Seattle visiting Juneau (1-10), Skagway (7-830), Glacier Bay (6-3), Ketchikan (7-1) and Victoria (7-midnight, meaning we could squeeze the garden in)
2. HAL Koningsdam - RT from Vancouver visiting the same ports (minus Victoria) with almost identical port times (except Ketchikan is 11am-7pm)

 

Main differences are:

 

• Departure city - Seattle is a shorter travel day since it's domestic, it's also more convenient as we have friends there
• Size - K'dam is 2650 guests vs 3660 on Discovery
• Ports - The Ketchikan & Victoria differences above
• Inside passage - K'dam cruises the inside passage both ways, while Discovery takes the ocean one way and the inside passage the other.
• Docks - K'dam docks are almost all closer to the center of town than Discovery. Discovery also has a shuttle in Skagway

 

Between the two itineraries, I think K'dam may be the better fit. It's smaller, has better port times, closer docks (I don't think any would require a shuttle), and it spends more time in the Inside Passage. Of course, Discovery's Seattle departure would be logistically easier for dad that K'dam's Vancover, but it seems like the benefits of K'dam would be greater. What do you all think? Also, what other smaller ships might I consider? (new to cruising, so just don't know!)

 

Again, a massive thank you to you all for helping me problem solve this!

[Aquahound]

Definitely K'dam.  Cruising the Inside Passage out of Vancouver is far superior, and they are not obligated to make a Canadian port call in Victoria like the Seattle cruises.  

[quack2]

Avoid NCL in/out of Vancouver.  Notwithstanding their cruise map that shows otherwise, NCL avoids the east side of Vancouver Island.

[Coral]

I would post Koingsdam's itinerary.

[tetleytea]

On 7/14/2023 at 8:42 AM, quack2 said:

Avoid NCL in/out of Vancouver.  Notwithstanding their cruise map that shows otherwise, NCL avoids the east side of Vancouver Island.

Princess did that, too.   Their cruise map very clearly showed them sailing inside, and they didn't.

[Crew News]

Just for clarification from one who sails ONLY in aft staterooms

• an aft stateroom is a short elevator ride down to the main dining room (MDR)
• a short elevator ride up to the Lido Market buffet
• a short elevator ride up to the Tamarind Asian restaurant
• a short elevator ride down to the Dutch Cafe for a cappuccino
• a short elevator ride for Room Service deliveries so food will be hot
• a short elevator ride down to Club Orange if you choose the upgrade.
• very little foot traffic past your door
• the balcony allows views of both sides of the ship while in your pajamas
• no need to get dressed to visit the other side of the ship
• Glacier Bay can be enjoyed without competing with others in the public areas viewing space and bathrooms.

 

Glacier Bay photos from my aft balcony stateroom, minibar and private bathroom just a few feet away

 

 

 

 

[Coral]

9 minutes ago, tetleytea said:

Princess did that, too.   Their cruise map very clearly showed them sailing inside, and they didn't.

A friend recently returned from NCL Spirit and they attended an event where they asked why Northbound did not do inside passage but Southbound did. Someone from the bridge (Captain level individual) answered that there is a specific time period where they have to complete the transit during inside passage (I think they said 7.5 hours) and if they couldn't do that, to sail outside. So it maybe a call on weather conditions or other factors at the time the passage is going to be made. Purely guessing. 

[Coral]

2 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Just for clarification from one who sails ONLY in aft staterooms

• an aft stateroom is a short elevator ride down to the main dining room (MDR)
• a short elevator ride up to the Lido Market buffet
• a short elevator ride up to the Tamarind Asian restaurant
• a short elevator ride down to the Dutch Cafe for a cappuccino
• a short elevator ride for Room Service deliveries so food will be hot
• a short elevator ride down to Club Orange if you choose the upgrade.
• very little foot traffic past your door
• the balcony allows views of both sides of the ship while in your pajamas
• no need to get dressed to visit the other side of the ship
• Glacier Bay can be enjoyed without competing with others in the public areas viewing space and bathrooms.

 

Glacier Bay photos from my aft balcony stateroom, minibar and private bathroom just a few feet away

 

 

I actually like and prefer aft staterooms. I can say I traveled 20 years (probably more than 30 cruises on most cruise lines) with a parent who was disabled and we did have to visit other parts of the ships for a variety of reasons. It takes a long time to get from one end of the ship to the other with some disabled individuals. I don't know what the disability is of the original poster's father. I am very familiar with obstacles traveling with a disabled individual. An electric scooter was not an option for us.

 

Smaller ships are far easier!!!! By far! My parent was not content staying in one section of the ship (aft). It is very challenging and requires patience and planning when traveling with someone who is disabled. My Mom is now deceased but I would not have taken her on one of the mega ships that now are out. I have friends who complain about the length of the ship on these newer ships who are able bodied.

[tetleytea]

6 minutes ago, Coral said:

A friend recently returned from NCL Spirit and they attended an event where they asked why Northbound did not do inside passage but Southbound did. Someone from the bridge (Captain level individual) answered that there is a specific time period where they have to complete the transit during inside passage (I think they said 7.5 hours) and if they couldn't do that, to sail outside. So it maybe a call on weather conditions or other factors at the time the passage is going to be made. Purely guessing. 

 

The Spirit is an entirely different ballgame.   They just cancelled their Valdez port stop after several customers already booked that ship precisely because of Valdez.  To which NCL replied, "It's in the contract, we are allowed to change it....".   Their itinerary is all switched up because of the late Valdez cancellation--not the weather.   Although it would not surprise me if they say it's the "weather".  

[Coral]

5 minutes ago, tetleytea said:

 

The Spirit is an entirely different ballgame.   They just cancelled their Valdez port stop after several customers already booked that ship precisely because of Valdez.  To which NCL replied, "It's in the contract, we are allowed to change it....".   Their itinerary is all switched up because of the late Valdez cancellation--not the weather.   Although it would not surprise me if they say it's the "weather".  

My friend was on a sailing in June that did go to Valdez. It was Vancouver to Seward and they were notified before final payment about not sailing inside passage. So this was decided before Valdez was cancelled.

 

I have yet to go to Valdez. She thought it was a waste of time. She had not been to Alaska before so this was her first time. I remember her mentioning she wanted that itinerary and I didn't understand why (and she had already booked it so I didn't ask more). Later - she was like "I wish we had done a different itinerary as she was not impressed with Valdez or Icy Strait Point. I think her choose of activities in Icy Strait was not wise..... But that is another story.

Edited July 15, 2023 by Coral

[tetleytea]

12 minutes ago, Coral said:

I actually like and prefer aft staterooms.

What about the fore?   Is the wind and cold really that bad?    The prices are so much cheaper, and I figure the views would be the same or even slightly better than aft.   Some people I know can't take the cold that well, but I've held conversations outside before in shorts and a T-shirt when it's snow flurries.

[Coral]

1 minute ago, tetleytea said:

What about the fore?   Is the wind and cold really that bad?    The prices are so much cheaper, and I figure the views would be the same or even slightly better than aft.   Some people I know can't take the cold that well, but I've held conversations outside before in shorts and a T-shirt when it's snow flurries.

I don't like forward rooms. I find more movement in forward than aft. 

 

I can handle the cold.

 

I am almost always near aft elevators or aft rooms. My preferred area.

 

When I traveled with a disabled parent - there were a number of things I needed to plan in advance and their needs were always above my preferences.

[tetleytea]

2 minutes ago, Coral said:

 

When I traveled with a disabled parent - there were a number of things I needed to plan in advance and their needs were always above my preferences.

Well at least y'all's parents went.   I kept telling my parents they need to travel while they still have quality years left, and they didn't.  And now their quality years are over.

[Coral]

Just now, tetleytea said:

Well at least y'all's parents went.   I kept telling my parents they need to travel while they still have quality years left, and they didn't.  And now their quality years are over.

Honestly - it was more so I could go on vacation. It was too difficult to find care for them at home while I was gone so I had to drag my Mom with me when I vacationed to make sure she was taken care of. When she could no longer travel, I had to take a break from traveling as I couldn't leave. Taking care of parents is difficult!