My first NCL cruise: A solo trip on Encore to Alaska review.

[skittl1321]

9 hours ago, GALSews said:

Thanks for the photo of the showing the National Historical Park sign. We will have to remember to bring our National Park booklet so we can get a stamp in Skgway. .Hopefully, also one for Glacier Bay.

Two of our least favorite lines: 1) Gee, we should have brought the binoculars.

2) Gee we should have brought the national park booklet for and done a stamp.

 

The fox we sometimes see on our street, Quick Fox Lane, is red with a black tail.

 

I brought binoculars, but only used them twice and decided that looking through a telephoto lens was working better for me.  I think I might need kids binoculars. No matter how many I try, I can't seem to get ones that I can focus with both eyes, they always just seem too wide set.

[skittl1321]

Now it was time for my first excursion!

I had chosen "Rock Climb and Rappel" booked through NCL.  I figured that this would be a very controlled experience, telling us exactly what to do, and a bit of a cattle drive, as shore excursions often are; but as a solo and first timer in Alaska, decided to stick with the ship.

 

I could have not been more surprised with how the excursion went. 

 

When the tour guides came to pick us up (and yes, they looked very outdoorsy) I found out there were only 10 people on the excursion.  We drove a short way to the rock climbing site (same as the zipline/challenge course site), while the guides told us a bit about the area.

Then it was time to get helmets on, take a short hike, and then get harnesses and climbing shoes.

 

The climbing site was an approximately 70 foot wall, with about 12 fixed ropes.  You could select any route you wanted to try. It was still drizzling, so it was very wet.  The guides put us in our harnesses, belayed us, and coached a bit of "try putting your hand to the left", but otherwise, it was 100% your own plan. No preset route, and quite honestly, despite the rocks looking very pocked, no obvious holds! By the end of each climb (I did two), my hands were thoroughly frozen.

 

 

 

 

 

Only a few of the men made it to the top of the climbs, I got about 40 feet on my first climb and about 60 feet on my second.   Because we were on a top rope, falls were not really a problem, as you would fall just a few inches and then hang out until you were ready to catch the wall again.  Although on my second climb I had a hard time getting started and fell 3 times in the first foot...so that was fun, but then once I got going it went pretty well.   There was a little girl in our group, and she had a rough go on her first climb, only making it a few feet. Most of the adults only did one climb (I think 3 of us did 2.) so she was hesitant to try again. I asked her Dad if I could give her a special rock if she did it, and he said yes, so I told her I had a really pretty rock in her favorite color in my bag (I had all the colors) if she tried.  She decided that was worth it, her Dad gave her some great pep talks, and she made it about 15 feet!  I later saw her Dad in the thermal spa, and he said that little tumbled rock was the absolute hit of the cruise for the kids, and her siblings were so jealous that in the next port they had to buy tumbled rocks, but none were as good as the one she got. LOL

I also learned that I really need spanx if I'm going climbing, and not multiple layers of warm clothes, as harnesses are NOT flattering, LOL.  

Of course one of the best parts of climbing is when you get to come down! Being lowered is fun, and bouncing/hopping down the rocks makes the climb up worth it.

 

Quick video to show the rock face...

 

 

After everyone had a chance to climb, we then hiked up to the TOP of the wall, and got to rapell down.  You'd think this wouldn't be nerve wracking, because we literally just got belayed down from where we climbed to, but the difference is with rappeling, you have to take that first step off the wall!  (And you control your own descent speed, though they had us on a back up, so if you were out of control, the guide would do it. For the 8-year old girl in the group, they told her she didn't weigh enough to override the backup, so they would just have to lower her. She was very brave, but in the end decided she didn't want to rappel.) 

 

I took another quick selfie as we waited. It was still VERY foggy. Across the way is where the white pass railway travels. 

 

The guides were SO good being patient, making you feel safe. Once I got started it was SO fun and it made me wish we could hike up and rapell down again!  We hiked back to "helmet land" to return out helmets and they had some granola bars available.  

After that, we headed back to the vans and back into town.  

I was greated by crows (ravens? All I know is one is bigger than the other, and if you get real close there are different feathers) making the weirdest noise I've ever heard a bird make.

 

 

 

[skittl1321]

After the excursion, I had just about an hour before my next excursion, the Ghosts and Good Time Gals tour.  With the free at sea discount, this came out to only $20, so I figured it would be a good way to spend the afternoon (Skagway was a long day in port, compared to all the other ports which were fairly short, or in the case of Juneau, decently long, but late at night.)

I went back to the ship thinking if I was quick I could change and grab something to eat. 

I did a quick round of the buffet and saw nothing I wanted, so my lunch was just an ice cream cone and a diet coke.  NCL's ice cream is great. I love that they have scooped ice cream in a variety of flavors.

 

 

The tour was very good. I had switched cameras for it, but didn't take any good photos really. 
Our tour guide was very funny. She did a great job telling stories (and a full hour of s 3 x jokes! I don't know why I didn't expect that...but it caught me off guard at first, and then by the end I was just impressed she was able to fit that many puns into the tour.) 

The tour told a lot about the history of s 3 x work in Skagway and was done in a way that really showed a lot of respect for the woman who took on this type of work and the disdain they earned from the population for doing it. There was also some history of the gold rush. The "ghosts" part of the tour was just a few stories, and that isn't really my thing. But it was a great walking tour of the town, and thankfully the weather was less drizzly, so just a bit chilly!

 

 

There were quite a few road crossings, which involved different members of the tour needing to lean over and shake their butt and then shimmy... well, it is a novelty tour.  I took this photo because i used to be an avid knitter, and well, Quivit would have been a dream.

 

I was SO impressed by this playground. The kids of skagway have it good! (There was a joke about this is where the swingers hang out...)

 

The tour concluded at the Red Onion Saloon with an included glass of a sparkling wine. I had a sip, since we toasted an event, then passed my drink to someone else who was happier about the free drink than worried about the possible germs (I wasn't sick, as far as I know).

The guide encouraged photos, and the red onion saloon allowed credit card tips, which was good, because when I changed purses I forgot cash!

 

On the way back to the ship, I ran into some friends from the Juneau tour, we did a bit of shopping. I got a gorgeous "northern lights topez" (aka- heat treated topaz) earing and necklace set. I really don't wear jewelry, but it was just so pretty. I wore them to a Diwali party and got lots of compliments. Sadly, those were the only Northern Lights we saw.  I also helped my friends take lots of photos with the fall colors, as the weather had cleared up slightly.

 

And then, a few shots of the ship.

 

 

[skittl1321]

Back on the ship, I enjoyed the thermal suite for awhile, hung out at the Mojito bar doing some diamond painting. (Another woman was always there cross stitching; the tables were perfect for crafts, and it wasn't ever that crowded during the day, so it was perfect.)

 

I went to the main dining room for dinner, but nothing on the menu caught my interest, so I had a bruschetta, corn bread, and caesar salad.  The salad was fabulous and I loved the brushcetta.  The cornbread was a bit dry, so I didnt' finish it all.  I was once again sat down next to a bunch of complainers....  

There was no big main show on tonight, so I did some more painting (working on a racoon I still haven't finished), did some reading, and just had a wonderful lazy night.

 

Earlier that morning I ran into the side of my balcony door, it was closed a bit more than I thought and I hit it going in, and it hurt so badly. I remembered thinking I was being such a weenie about how bad it hurt. Well, apparently, I hit pretty hard, as I had a dollar sized bruise! It was black by the end of the week!  

[Von & John]

10 hours ago, skittl1321 said:

 

I brought binoculars, but only used them twice and decided that looking through a telephoto lens was working better for me.  I think I might need kids binoculars. No matter how many I try, I can't seem to get ones that I can focus with both eyes, they always just seem too wide set.

 

I've switched to a Monocular & Love it...

With my astigmatism I've always been challenged looking through binoculars with both eyes open 🙂

[skittl1321]

Up next, Glacier Bay!

We had fabulous weather thus far (everywhere we went the locals remarked on how gorgeous a day it was and how it had been pouring everyday up until we docked), and our luck ran out. Glacier Bay was super foggy and very drizzly.  I had been delaying some of the review thinking I would process the photos I took, but really, they won't be great, because of the weather, and if you want a good photo of glacier bay, someone else has taken one for sure!

 

I started the day in the MDR, and had the avocado and egg wrap again, this time with a fresh fruit plate. Delicious.

 

 

I was happy that once again I managed to get lots of crispy bacon, and I LOVE the grilled tomato. Tomatoes with breakfast are just the best.

I decided to kill a bit of time taking photos around the ship, and turns out, I took one.  Aren't these chocolate fountains cool?

 

I headed back to my room to get ready for a day of glacier viewing!  I was on deck 8 forward, so my hall had been set up as one-way to head out to the bow. No problem right now, as I was on the port side, so I needed to walk forward, but later when I would go out to the bow and want to come back, I'd have to make the full circle again. (It was fine, just kind of funny.)  It also meant our hallway was very very cold all day; again, fine for me, as I actually kept my balcony door open a lot of the day; but my poor room steward looked frozen and only had a light cardigan. He didn't have one of the nice winter jackets the deck attendants got, but had to deal with an open door all day!

As soon as the bow was open, I headed up, just to be able to say I had been there. It was very very windy, and drizzly, but I was fine in just my rain jacket.  Added the unflattering photo, as I think it really shows off the wind!

 

 

 

Video to show how heavy the wind was! (Careful of the sound on this one!) Keep in mind, at this point the ship isn't moving (or barely moving), as we were stopped to look at a glacier. 

 

 

 

 

Then I settled into my room and turned the TV on to listen to the park rangers.  Really, I expected them to talk more. They only gave some very basic information. Having watched youtube videos about other cruise lines I felt like there was SO much more presented by naturalists, so that was a bit of a bummer, but I snuggled into my bed and did some diamond painting, and took lots of pictures, mostly of the small waterfalls, which I felt were just so gorgeous. 

I have so many photos like this!  I can't imagine the thousands I would take if we had an actual nice day.  I was so glad to have a balcony, and especially the cabin location, as I went out to the bow probably 10 times during the day.

 

 

One more trip to the bow, then it was time for lunch.  Outfit change, as it had gotten colder, and was really raining hard, sleeting, painful rain.

 

 

 

 

[skittl1321]

For lunch, I headd up to the bufffet. I found some Indian food and some pasta, as well as fresh fruit.  You'd be SHOCKED to know I also had some ice cream.  The food was all good, but nothing was really a stand out.  

 

 

 

I brought it back down to my room, where I continued to enjoy the glacier watching, and my painting set up on my small desk area.  Today, I was working with acrylic paints.  

 

We didn't see any large wildlife in Glacier Bay, but there were a few otters. The guy on the balcony next to me was SO good at spotting them. I just LOVED all the small waterfalls.

 

 

By this point, the sleeting rain was heavy. It was really beating the people up who were venturing out to the bow. I'm from Iowa, so OK with the cold. But I really want to know where this guy is from. Shorts, tank top. It wasn't more than 35 degrees out, and he was out for at least 5 minutes taking photos. 

 

We spent quite a bit of time at the Johns Hopkins glacier, as the ship did a full revolution so you could see it from both sides.  Here's a video from my balcony and one from the bow. A balcony is very worth it on glacier bay day. Though, likely due to the weather, the bow wasn't  too crowded, as no one stayed around for long, and so it wasn't hard to get to the edge to get a photo.  The crew was also serving hot chocolate by the doors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glaciers make a great background for artwork!  

[skittl1321]

As we were leaving the glacier, I decided to head to the thermal spa. I had been outside quite a bit, or with my door open at least, and was quite chilly. The spa wasn't very crowded at all, and although there could be views from the loungers, most people on them were either reading or asleep. I spent a bit of time in the pool, then to a stone lounger to read. So I also didn't really take advantage of the views.

I had an early dinner booked at Food Republic (I usually like dinner at 5:30ish, so was thrilled to have been able to book that time.) However, after eating such a large lunch I just wasn't hungry at all.  I went down at about 5:00 and cancelled my reservation.

 

Hung out again at the mojito bar doing some diamond painting, and then back to my room to do some acrylic painting.

Around 8:00, I was feeling a bit hungry, so walked down to Food Republic. I asked if they could seat one, but I would prefer a table to the sushi bar.   It was no problem at all to be accomodated.  

This was the meal I was most looking forward to precruise, and I was not disappointed, but it was also way too much food.  I'm also a picky eater (evidence: going through the entire buffet and ending up with no food...) so most of what I wanted to try had shrimp in it. Overall, the meal was TOO shrimp heavy for me, as I only sort of like shrimp...

So I would 100% recommend Food Republic, but I would NOT pay out of pocket for it; and I would think it would be way better if you went as a couple and used just one dining credit between two, or as a family and the kids can eat off the plate.

 

I ws disappointed that the Elote Mexicano was not on the menu, as I had seen it in many reviews, and the one in the mexican restaurant was so good, I wanted more.

I also really wanted the Burrata, and did not see it on the menu either.

My choices: 

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps.  These were very good. I enjoyed both the tamarind and peanut sauces. I ate two pieces of the chicken, and then all the various endive, sprouts, carrots.  So good.
 

 

Tiger Roll: Spicy Tuna, Shrimp Tempura, Crab Mix, Avocado. 
Absolutely delicious. Maybe not the best rice I've had in a roll, but this one was a standout. I think I ate all of it.

 

Rock Shrimp Roll.  This was absolutely delicious.  But as good as the it was, just way too much shrimp for me.  I ate 3 pieces of the shrimp, then ate the roll (avocado, mango, spicy tuna) without it.    Funny story- the table next to me was argueing if this dish had shrimp in it, because the menu doesn't list shrimp as one of the ingredients. It is just in its name.

 

 

Firecracker shrimp.
These were good, but I only needed one. I love thair sweet chili sauce, and I have no shame, so I ended up taking the shrimp out of the wrappers and just ate the wrappers with sauce...  If the burrata or corn had been on the menu, I think I would have skipped this one, as there is so much other shrimp I had.

To wrap up the night I had, you guessed it, some ice cream from the buffet.

 

I am also a huge baked Alaska fan, so when I saw this I wanted to try it. 

But uh, two things. First it was pretty gross. The mousse was pretty flavorless and the texture really unappealing. And I am pretty sure the name on its card is a slur...  (Former generic name for Inuit/other indigenous people of the region Mousse).  My understanding is the Inuit people are NOT OK with that name...  I was kind of shocked to see it.  I don't want to see this called Inuit Mousse either, as I really think it was named in a way to link it to Baked Alaska.  I did a google search on the name and couldn't find any other recipes that use that name.  It really took me aback to see NCL have a dessert labeled that way.

There again wasn't a production show tonight, and I didn't want to fight for a comedy club seat so never checked that out. Just another lazy night of reading and painting.  For all the people who say "you don't spend any time in your room", just point them to this review, since apparently I'm so boring I spend all my time there!

[Russiamomm]

Once again, thank you for your review!  I’m actually loving this delayed review.  It lets me relive the trip!  I’m sure we saw you in the thermal spa.  Wish I had actually met you!

[skittl1321]

On 11/21/2023 at 7:11 PM, Russiamomm said:

Once again, thank you for your review!  I’m actually loving this delayed review.  It lets me relive the trip!  I’m sure we saw you in the thermal spa.  Wish I had actually met you!

Thanks for reading along! This cruise was just so great.  I spent a few hours everyday in the thermal spa, so I wish I had met you too! I was reading most of the time I was in there though, so I suspect many people didn't approach me. 

 

 

Pro-tip, bring a waterproof kindle cover, and it is so nice to just stand and read in the pool or sit and read in the hot tub!

[skittl1321]

Up next- a very quick port stop in Ketchikan.  
We were greeted by a gorgeous sunrise in Ward Cove.

But first, breakfast.  

 

Today I went to the buffet for another really delicious omelet.  While waiting for it, there was a little boy who came and got an entire plateful of whipped cream on top of his pancake. His Mom admonished him, but who am I to judge, again, I got whipped cream with nothing to put it on... This was so good, though the croissant was a bit dry.

 

Disembarkation was quick, there were two ships in Ward Cove today, they were on the start of their cruise, us on the end.  I didn't realize quite how big the Encore was until I saw it next to a ship I used to consider large...

 

Lots of people complain about Ward Cove because it is outside Ketchikan, and that is kind of a pain.  The tour guides we were with talked about how the locals really like this dock, because NCL is revitalizing an abadoned area. The buildings existed from former industry, and rather than clearing a new area, NCL has taken over to put it to new use.

The inside of the warehouse is nice, and they have live local music and speakers, as well as shopping.

 

I had a little while before my excursion, so I wandered around, but didn't buy anything.
 

My excursion was the "Rainforest Island Adventure".  We started with a quick van ride to a marina, got onto a rib boat with about 20ish people, and road to an island.  The guides gave us a mini- tour of the area while we road, and it was a really pleasant day out. 

 

On the (unnamed) island, we had guides who told us about the ecosystem, and the way the trees grow on very thin soil, lots of interesting stuff. I really enjoyed the trip, and if you are a mushroom lover, this is the one for you- so much fabulous vareity of mushrooms. The trip wasn't rushed, but if you are someone into macro photography, you won't have as much time as you want, as you do have to keep up with others.

 

The entire trip is boardwalked, but I lost my footing one time, and while I didn't fall, I had an impressive slide, and launched my phone about 10 feet ahead of me (thankfully it didn't break). So this excursion does require a little bit of dexterity...

 

After about an hour walk around the island, we had some salmon dip and hot chocolate around a campfire, and got to wander around the rocky beach.

The guides told us we could take rocks, and when asked if it was illegal they said no, but I'm still pretty sure based on the signs and alaska law posted around the ship, it is.
But OMG, look at these gorgeous rocks.

 

And one last photo op to hug a tree.

 

 

I did not get to go into Ketchikan proper, as the port stop was very quick, and it was time to get back on the ship.

[skittl1321]

We left Ketchikan it was pretty warm, probably low 40s, and the waterslides were OPEN!!!

 

So, I decided to do something really brave (I am a HUGE scaredy cat), and go on the DROP SLIDE.  

I have never ever ever thought I would do something like this, as being dropped is terrifying. 

The slide on the encore has 2 uphill sections, so if you don't make it all the way up the hill, you fall back down, and then they have to let you out a trapdoor.

 

I was truly terrified.  

 

I made sure to put on my swimsuit with no metal pieces (the one I was wearing in the thermal spa was a one-piece had a metal ring on it; but I needed that one in the spa, as the jets are so aggressive, they were pulling down my two-piece bottom! I'm glad I packed options.)

 

To ride the slide, you first get weighed, then they make you take a shower, then you climb the stairs.  Once on top, you stand in the tube, and the guy says he counts to three, but there is loud music playing so you can't hear it, and then they drop you.

The first time I went up, I was terrified, but I was the only one, so the guy patiently waited for me to step in, the water in it was nice and warm, then I freaked out and stepped out.  While I was hyperventilating another guy came up, I watched him do it, the lifeguard guaranteed me he'd never seen anyone get hurt, I decided to be brave and did it.

OMG! I didn't scream!  But you know how you are supposed to hold you arms across your chest when you go on body slides? Mine immediatly flew above my head when the floor dropped out.

I made it through both hills, but stopped at the very top of the second hill and had to use my arms to push myself to get going again. 

It was SO MUCH FUN that I immediatly did it again.  I walked over, the woman weighed me again, I showered again, got to to the top, no one there, and went again. Got stuck in the same place again.

Then I did it a third time!  Again, got weighed (this is all in the span of about 5 minutes, same person doing the weighing, only 3 other people using the slide, so they stick to the procedure for safety!), got to the top and again got stuck, but this time couldn't manage to get myself moving fast enough and effectively got waterboarded by the jets that spray inside the slide.  That was rather uncomfortable, but thankfully that wasn't my first time through.

 

For my 3rd ride, I asked the attendant to take a video for me, and you can tell he is a pro, as he was able to trace the track of the ride, you can see how I get stuck at the top of the 2nd hill.

 

 

By this point, I wanted to go try the tube slide, which had previously had a longer line (since kids can use it; the drop slide has a minimum weight I think of 130 lbs), but they actually were closing both of the slides because the temperature was too low and the wind picking up.

I am so so glad I fit this in!  Also glad I have video, because my husband didn't believe I did it.

So if you are on the fence, I'm the biggest scaredy cat in the world, and it was amazing.  (I also have a spinal cord/neck injury, so I'm fairly cautious, and for me, this was no issue at all.)

 

[skittl1321]

Once that was done I was FREEZING and went to the thermal spa.

AGAIN I had lost my key.  So went back to the deck, and thankfully it was under the chair I had set my shoes and towel on, and that was no problem at all.

 

A bit of time in the thermal spa and I was all toasty again and headed to the buffet for lunch.,  Very similar to lunch the day before, I clearly have patterns. 

 

We had a half-day at sea, so I set up to do some more painting.

 

Tonight was the main dining room for dinner, and I made the mistake of ordering beef again. The steaks were just no good. All were tough and chewy. The sauce was flavorfull, but I only ate about a quarter of this. But man, those fries were fabulous.

 

I actually ordered dessert tonight- very lovely eclairs.

 

And tonight was something I was waiting the entire night for! CHOIR OF MAN!!!

The show did not disappoint!  We could not book reservations ahead of the cruise, so I did this as soon as I got on board. Oddly, it let me book today and tomorrow, on other cruises they usually only let you book each show once. But since this was my main reason for going on NCL, I went ahead and booked both. The stand by line was long, but plenty of stand by guests also got in.

 

I didn't bring my camera tonight, as filming isn't usually allowed in shows, but I should have, as the cast takes photos with guests (and serves beer!) before the show.  I did kind of laugh as the people queueing to get a free beer, probably half of them had drinks packages! I absolutely loved the show, and the cast was so talented. This was a replacement cast in their first show.

After Choir of Man, I did another painting, 

 

The weather was starting to get bad again, and I think maybe with the ship rocking I didn't sleep well. I went to The Local at about 3:30 in the morning and there were still a few people there who were still on the tail end of their night.  I grabbed a Diet Coke, but felt a bit bad- the barman had been standing on the bar in his socks cleaning when I got there, so I clearly interupted his time cleaning up.  He was very gracious and chatted with me for 10 minutes while I had my drink and then I went back to bed.

One day left of the cruise- mostly a sea day; but a night time stop in Victoria was planned...

[schmoopie17]

They have to weigh you every time you go down the slide because you may find the hidden stash of hash browns on the way down and gorge yourself. Can't be too careful...

[skittl1321]

49 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

They have to weigh you every time you go down the slide because you may find the hidden stash of hash browns on the way down and gorge yourself. Can't be too careful...

 

In my case, it's the minimum weight (120 lbs, not 130 which I thought it was, which I should be much closer to than I actually am, for my height)- so everytime I got reweighed "yep, still fat".  

But for the type of slide it is, both minimum and maximum weight matter.  If you don't weight the minimum, I think you have no chance getting up those hills. And who knows, there may be additional safety concerns too that I am not thinking of for not meeting the minimum weight.  I keep thinking of tha tragic accident at Schlitterbahn KC.  So I am very appreciative they follow the procedure every single time, it's just funny when it is near freezing out and there are only a few people crazy enough to go near the slide so they weighed me so many times in a very very short span.

 

Also, I didn't even realize there was a lack of hashbrowns because the breakfast potatoes were so good. (And I was just glad they didn't have the hash brown pattys.) But man, I do love hashbrowns.

Edited November 29, 2023 by skittl1321

[schmoopie17]

20 hours ago, skittl1321 said:

 

Also, I didn't even realize there was a lack of hashbrowns because the breakfast potatoes were so good. (And I was just glad they didn't have the hash brown pattys.) But man, I do love hashbrowns.

There are multiple on-going discussions about the missing hash brown hockey pucks (or as I call them, grease sponges) on the CC NCL page. It's become quite a hot topic. You probably missed it because you're too busy enjoying your cruise 😁

[skittl1321]

12 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

There are multiple on-going discussions about the missing hash brown hockey pucks (or as I call them, grease sponges) on the CC NCL page. It's become quite a hot topic. You probably missed it because you're too busy enjoying your cruise 😁

Oh no, I saw them.  I just didn't notice they were missing on the cruise because of the availability of excellent breakfast potatoes.  But I am not a hockey puck hash brown fan. I like the loose ones. 

 

[skittl1321]

The final day of the cruise was a mostly see day plus the obligatory PVSA stop in Victoria.  I believe it was scheduled from 8:00-11:30, but early on in the day we found out we would be delayed until 8:30 and extended to 11:59 pm.  The seas were starting to get rough again, but nothing like our first day.

 

I started with breakfast at The Local.  It was very good. Especially the crispy bacon.


I had a super lazy sea day.  I spent a lot of time in the thermal suite, going in the morning and the afternoon.  Today was the eclipse, but I didn't have a collander or anything to catch shadows with. I hadn't brought the filter for the cameras, so I just did a really quick sunshine shot from my phone, not wanting to ruin the sensor.

 

But mostly it looked cloudy:

 

I caught Deal or No Deal from the Local, since I ate lunch there, and I really dislike the set up of game shows in the atrium. It was SO loud,and so crowded.  I had just happened to get a seat at the railing for lunch, and honestly, I almost thought about just leaving because the noise was too much. I think I prefer the cruises that do things like this in the theaters. They are just designed to take the noise better.

 

The reuben at The Local was SO good. One of my cruise regrets was that I never got wings. I can't believe it... There just wasn't enough time.  I probably should have gone to The Local more for lunch and the buffet less, but I always wanted the ice cream.

I also did more art- surprise! Today I worked on a racoon.  You can see the set up I had in my room here.


The racoon still looks like this. I haven't ahd a chance to finish him at home. Eyes are hard so I am putting them off...  It will probably never be done.

 

And I went to the mojito bar and did some more diamond art. The mojito bar was slowly building up a daytime crafting group. I had originally joined a cross stitcher who started there, and today she was there again, along with a knitter... 

This was the first day they gave me corn nuts. Yum.  The bartender also made me a virgin pineapple mojito- muddling in some mint and lime; as I had been drinking diet cokes or pineapple juices all week and he thought I'd like it.  He was right!  But I think, technically, it didn't come with my soda package, since it was more than just poured soda or juice.  So that was super nice of him. (And yes, I did tip the mojito bar staff, since that was my weekly hang out.)

 

I also went to see Choir of Man again. 

 

 

I brought my camera to catch some of the preshow antics this time.  I was super impressed by the cup tower they build. A shorter guy started it and had to hand it off when it exceeded his height while standing on the table.  The show was especially impressive with the rough seas, since they jump on and off tables so much.  I did a dance class on carnival once where we were on their stage, and it is insane how much movement is going on there when the rest of the ship still feels relatively still.

 

These guys are so talented.  The cast was slightly different from the day before, as the creative director was leaving the ship, so he did one of the roles.  It's nice they take time preschow to take photos and talk with the audience (out of character). 

I spoke to a few of them about roles they played on the West End or tour, as I swear I recognized a few of them, but the guys I asked hadn't actually toured the US in the shows I recognized them from; but they DID play those characters, so really... they just had a type!

 

After Choir of Man, they started announcing we would be delayed into Victoria and to enjoy everything the ship had to offer.  I had a quick buffet dinner, as I wasn't really that hungry. The choir of man cast was up there, and it was interesting to see how different they all looked out of costume. Of course with their NCL name badges, I assume they were slightly dressed up (nearly all of them had blazers on.)  

 

Just a bit of pasta and a dessert. 

 

This brownie was a bit of a bummer 😞

 

Well, sadly, these announcements went on, and on, and on.  At 9:15 I posted on facebook I was putting my excursion ticket outside my door if anyone wanted it (no takers), and went to bed.  I THINK we docked around 9:30.  Most of the people I talked to said they didn't bother getting off. It was already a late stop, but I think that being extra late really put a damper on the end of the cruise.  Thankfully, I've been to BC before, and while I wanted to see Victoria, I wasn't TOO disappointed. 

[skittl1321]

And then, it was time to get kicked off the ship...

 

Disembarkation day was pretty chill.  

I started with breakfast in the buffet.  More crowded than any other morning, but I still found a table. I finally decided to try the pancakes to actually have something with the whipped cream.  The strawberries were a mistake. They did not taste good...  everything else was delicious.

 

When I finished eating, I left my table so others could have it, and found a seat in the observation lounge.  This was actually my first time in the lounge and I was SHOCKED how large it was.  I don't know why I never made it up there before.  The place was deserted, with only about five other groups sitting around.  This was a great place to wait for your disembarkation to be called, as it was quiet and comfortable.

 

When my group was called there was a bit of a line slinking around the casino, but it was orderly and easy to get off.  

 

The port is super crowded, I don't know how they possibly deal with multiple ships, and it was a mad house finding taxis/ubers/buses, etc.  I found the Seattle Express bus that I had booked with when I came to the ship, and was disappointed that they said it only went to the airport. When I booked they said airport or hotel drop off.

 

It was a bit of a chilly, dreary day in Seattle. More like I expected rather than the amazing weather I had pre-cruise.  The weather this cruise was amazing for October. It had the chance of being really bad...

 

 

Not a huge deal, as I again was staying at Coast Gateway and it was SO easy to catch their shuttle back to the hotel.

 

I ran across these dolphins in the parking garage. They are a memorial, but I thought they were really lovely. 

 

I was too tired to make the most of Seattle, and thankfully Coast Gateway let me have early check-in at like 10:30 a.m.  So I spent the day laying in bed, reading, and re-packing.

 

My bag was a half pound overweight, so I did my best to make sure heavy stuff was in my carry-on. 

 

My flight was early the next morning, so I went to bed early (didn't sleep well...) and took the hotel shuttle (24 hour shuttle!) at 4 am the next morning.  The lines for TSA were already a nightmare, so book ahead if you go through seattle, or plan plenty of time.  I did have plenty of time, because I'm that kind of person, but still, at 4:30 am, it's weird to have such a crazy wait.

Turns out I put too much into my carry-on and my bag was only 44 pounds!  That's OK...
I had another super long layover in Phoenix, but was sadly about 10 minutes late to get the breakfast burrito again. I did have a lovely burger though.

 

And then, just like that, I was back in Iowa... and the cruise is officially over.

 

It only took me two months to do the review 🙂  Thanks for reading along!

 

 

 

[skittl1321]

So here's the TLDR.

 

1) Solo cruises are amazing. The Balcony room was worth it.

2) Alaska is amazing. Rock climbing in Skagway was my #1 excursion.

3) The thermal spa was really fabulous, but also overpriced. I'm torn on if I'd get it again.

4) NCL needs more production show entertainment, but Choir of Man was amazing.

5) I enjoyed the food on the cruise, but the steaks were not good.  The omelettes in the buffet were fabulous, as was the scooped ice cream.

6) Try the slide. Especially in Alaska. It's so fun.

7) Making this cruise into an Art cruise was a great choice. I had so much fun creating things.
8 ) Specialtiy dining is nice, but I don't think I'd pay extra for it.

9) Solo the soda package was worth it. With my family, we will be drinking water.
10) I really really want to go on NCL solo again, but it is so hard to justify the price. Looking at Hawaii for a black friday sale (I didn't book) it cost $100 less to book a solo room for myself as it did the same category for my family of 4. Kids sail free is just too good of a deal!

[vacation44]

2 hours ago, skittl1321 said:

So here's the TLDR.

 

1) Solo cruises are amazing. The Balcony room was worth it.

2) Alaska is amazing. Rock climbing in Skagway was my #1 excursion.

3) The thermal spa was really fabulous, but also overpriced. I'm torn on if I'd get it again.

4) NCL needs more production show entertainment, but Choir of Man was amazing.

5) I enjoyed the food on the cruise, but the steaks were not good.  The omelettes in the buffet were fabulous, as was the scooped ice cream.

6) Try the slide. Especially in Alaska. It's so fun.

7) Making this cruise into an Art cruise was a great choice. I had so much fun creating things.
8 ) Specialtiy dining is nice, but I don't think I'd pay extra for it.

9) Solo the soda package was worth it. With my family, we will be drinking water.
10) I really really want to go on NCL solo again, but it is so hard to justify the price. Looking at Hawaii for a black friday sale (I didn't book) it cost $100 less to book a solo room for myself as it did the same category for my family of 4. Kids sail free is just too good of a deal!

Thank you for finishing up as I enjoyed your review.    

 

So will you be bringing your family on your next NCL cruise?

[skittl1321]

2 hours ago, vacation44 said:

 

 

So will you be bringing your family on your next NCL cruise?

I think Encore is probably not the right ship for my kids right now- age 4 and 6. They aren't really kids club types, and they like big shows. I did like that they had the kids waterpark, but I think my kids are too short for the easier slide still (way far away from drop slide- they are both under 40 pounds).  But I might look at some of the other ships and see what they have to offer.   We have RCCL booked next summer, but for the one after that NCL is going into consideration with MSC for a great family cruise. I was really pleased with NCL.

 

[Von & John]

Thanks for an overall fabulous review...
Your zest for life / enjoyment & enthusiasm shined through the entire time!

 

As I've mentioned on the hashbrown threads...

"Hashbrowns" vs. Breakfast Potatoes should be:

Fresh shred hashbrowns - scattered, smothered & covered

or in my case - fresh shreds - scattered & covered w/ sharp cheddar or aged havarti 🙂 

 

Cheers & Thanks Again for sharing your cruise  --  Von

 

On 11/29/2023 at 9:41 AM, skittl1321 said:

 

 

Also, I didn't even realize there was a lack of hashbrowns because the breakfast potatoes were so good. (And I was just glad they didn't have the hash brown pattys.) But man, I do love hashbrowns.