NCL Bliss Ketchikan to Ward Cove -the last shuttle details

[mxbotto]

Well first of all, I cruised with NCL to Alaska for our 10 year anniversary and had a wonderful time and docked IN Ketchikan. 

Unfortunately booking for our 20th anniversary, I didn't realize the whole Ward Cove thing going on now.

 

Here's my question. We booked on our own a Duck Tour which ends shortly before the last shuttle back (last shuttle 11:45)

Questions:

Does anyone happen to know if Duck Tour ends at Berth 4 (I know it starts at Berth4 which happens to be the shuttle drop off/pick up)

 

What if everyone wants to catch "the last shuttle" back at 11:45? Are only the first x folks on and that's it? or is there a plan to keep running shuttles while there is a line? The depart time is 1:15 so I know I need to be back by 12:45. 1 person in our party has some limited mobility (can walk around fine for awhile, but not for extensive periods). There are 7 of us.

 

I know that the Bliss is the only one at Ward Cove that day.

 

[wolfie11]

If you booked the Duck tour through the ship they might wait for you. Maybe.

https://www.deseret.com/lifestyle/2024/07/18/norwegian-cruise-line-family-stranded-9000-fee/

 

 

[zqvol]

I would not book a private tour in Ketchikan if I was docked at Ward Cove unless it ended at least two hours before all aboard. 

[mxbotto]

What about people just hanging out walking around town? My question is about the last shuttle experience. 

[nordicacres]

If you’re in line at cut off time they will continue to run buses is what I was told.

 

I actually liked Ward Cove! We knocked out pretty much all of our touristy shopping there - t-shirts, mugs, tea towels. Give it a chance. I did see a smaller handicap accessible shuttle running also.

[mxbotto]

Just wanted to report back that I called the duck tour folks and they also explained that there may be a line at the shuttle to go back but it isn't like there is only 1 shuttle going back and forth and that if you are in line we should be good. Their tour ends right at the same place as the shuttle pick up/drop off (at Berth 4). 

[karatemom2]

Hope you have better luck than the family who was on an actual NCL tour to the lumberjack show that they left behind last week. We have been to Ward Cove twice with NCL and the shuttle situation in town as the time gets tight is pure chaos.We specifically arranged a private tour with ship return on our last visit to maximize our time. But we made a firm decision that last trip that we would not sail NCL in Alaska again. I hope you don’t run into too much hassle on your visit. 

[mxbotto]

to be fair, that family wasn't waiting on the public shuttle but rather a specific excursion bus that the tour guide incorrectly said that another was coming. I'm sure the family had a false sense of security initially because they booked through NCL and that they just needed to wait for the next bus that didn't come and by the time that was realized, the public shuttle was likely done running and options were very limited. I do not plan to wait around. 

[shirtboy]

Please do not assume the last shuttle is 11:45. The last shuttle will be announced in your Freestyle Daily and posted on screens at the shuttle line inside the old mill.

 

Both the Bliss and the Encore typically have a scheduled all-aboard time of 12:45pm for a 1:15pm departure. While it is true that MOST social media photos/videos of the "last shuttle" TV monitors have the last shuttle at 11:45am, I've seen 11:00am posted on the TV monitor and on the Freestyle daily per this recent post:

I have no idea when they decide to use the 11:45 or 11:00 time, but I have to wonder if NCL's contingency plan is to adjust the time earlier if they don't have enough shuttles.

 

Also note that if there is a 2nd ship docked at Ward Cove that is leaving later in the day say at 4P, then technically there will still be shuttles running into the afternoon to pick up passengers for the later-leaving ship, including anyone still trying to catch the "last shuttle" back to the Bliss/Encore. This doesn't apply in the OP's case as they noted their ship is the only one at Ward Cove that day.

 

I think the key is to be flexible/prepared.

1, If you get hit with the 11:00 time, arrive at the shuttle stop at 11:45 to check if there is still people waiting in line since they'll keep running shuttles to inevitably clear out the huge queue of everyone arriving exactly at 11:00.

2, If the queue is gone, half your party could wait at the stop to see if they're still running shuttles to pick up any super-late people that missed the 11:00 cutoff (or call the port agent to see if the shuttles are still running or if they will send a shuttle for you). At the same time, the other half of your party can walk about 200 feet to the main road (Water Street) to flag down a taxi or two, and be prepared to get a call from the first party waiting at the shuttle bus stop in case there is still shuttle service back. At 11:45am, given the 1 hour before all-aboard and 20 minute travel time, there is a 40 minutes window to talk to the port agent and/or find a taxi. You could also call a cab company directly to see if they can just send you a taxi to pick you up. 

3, If all else fails, be prepared to find the bus stop for the Silver Line public bus as a 3rd option. The bus runs hourly, and picks up a  at a bus stop very close to the Berth 4 Ward Cove Shuttle stop. As of this writing for Summer 2024, the bus is scheduled to pick up around 12:25p and drops you off at the main highway outside the small road to the Ward Cove pier at around 12:46p, but doesn't enter the port area, so you're a 0.6mile walk from the ship so you'll miss the 12:45p all-aboard time. If you've already talked to the port agent, then they may be aware that you're running late and be willing to wait a few more minutes (not guaranteed of course). Chances are better the ship will wait a little bit for you if you are in contact with the port agent and can show that you are arriving back at the ship only a few minutes late (again nothing is guaranteed).  When I was on the Bliss last year, we didn't leave until around 1:10p-ish as the ship was waiting for a few late folks.  Note that the bus schedules are updated every year in case you're reading this in 2025 or later.

 

Hope this helps. I'm not trying to scare anyone. I'm just trying to give everyone options to show that if you're prepared, you can get yourself out of a jam. Booking independent shore excursions can save you thousands and in my opinion and outweighs the miniscule chance you'll miss the ship, but does come with some small inconveniences in terms of being prepared with contingencies.  Ward Cove does make independent shore excursion planning more complex than normal.

[donaldsc]

It is too late for the OP but the Ward Cove issue is a good reason never to cruise to AK on NCL ever.  I wonder what percentage of the people who book NCL know that the do not dock in Ketchikan.

 

DON

Edited July 28 by donaldsc

[wolfie11]

5 hours ago, donaldsc said:

It is too late for the OP but the Ward Cove issue is a good reason never to cruise to AK on NCL ever.  I wonder what percentage of the people who book NCL know that the do not dock in Ketchikan.

 

DON

Wait until they start using the dock in Whittier next year.