Fresh Salmon on the Pearl Is It True?

[F5Loar]

There have been reports, okay maybe rumors, that NCL ships when in Alaska will have fresh caught never frozen Alaskan Salmon brought on the ship while in one of the ports to serve fresh to the passengers at dinner. My question is to the ones returning from the Pearl is do you know this to be fact or fiction? I've not read it in any reports so far. Is it really as fresh as you would get for $39 at the Salmon (Grill) Bake excursion? Which port did the Salmon come from? Which dining room(s) did they serve it in? And how did they prepare it for serving?

[Toyz711]

last year, on the NCL star, on our alaska trip...salmon was served every night. it was very good, cook plain...but i would not say it was "fresh". it's in the main dining rooms as an option to the menu of the day. also, it was in cagney's on the main menu..that could have been fresh.

[F5Loar]

Yes I know all about that "vacupack fresh frozen" salmon being on the ship when it leaves Seattle that is served every night upon request. What I am talking about is fresh from the port that day and served that night as a speciallity. If that were the case it probably would be in the daily paper or an annoucement made about it right before bingo each afternoon. That stuff you get every night I can get on the East Coast.

[Toyz711]

last year, on the old menu...no special salmon on the regular menu.

beef wellington, rack of lamb..but no special night for salmon.

last year, our menus were exactly the same as the menus listed for all the NCL ships. i had printed the menus posted on this board, they were word for word the same as what our ship had.

[shoreguy]

Yes I know all about that "vacupack fresh frozen" salmon being on the ship when it leaves Seattle that is served every night upon request. What I am talking about is fresh from the port that day and served that night as a speciallity. If that were the case it probably would be in the daily paper or an annoucement made about it right before bingo each afternoon. That stuff you get every night I can get on the East Coast.

 

Never heard of fresh Salmon the Pearl . There is a first for everything. I did read a press realease where HAL was doing that this summer.

[F5Loar]

I'm beinging to believe my suspections are more fiction then fact. No fresh salmon on the Pearl. My DW reminded me of a NE/CAN. cruise where they mentioned stopping for live lobsters in Maine to be served. And you would think of NCL went out of their way to pick up fresh salmon at one of the ports there would be some mention of it and someone here would report it.

Once you've had the fresh salmon it's hard to eat any other type of salmon.

But I guess that would hold true to any fish.

[Toyz711]

but if NCL did that for the pearl, they would have to do it for the star and sun, also. that would be fresh salmon for 6,000? plus salmon only run at certain times, not available fresh...even up there..when they aren't running. right now i have salmon from chile, can't get salmon from alaska.

nice idea..fresh salmon..just not workable for cruise ships.

you should be able to find some at the local restaurants while in port?

 

a few weeks ago, one cruiser became very upset when they were told that there is no such thing as fresh king crab. some of the experts, on the alaska port-of-call board, were trying to explain it to her.

[Jeepman]

It would be great if they would serve Copper River Salmon!!! I look forward to when Copper River come's out!!! Yum, for those of us who love salmon... Jeff

[brunolvr]

Last year on the Star to Alaska we had dinner Thursday evening with the Food & Beverage Director, Andre Paez.

 

He recommended to us that we have the salmon for dinner on Friday as they were getting a load of fresh salmon while in Ketchikan. We did have it for dinner on Friday and it was delicious. It was some of the best salmon that we've ever had and living in the Pacific Northwest, we do eat a lot of salmon.

 

This may have been a one time incident, but it did happen!:)

[RSWBADGER]

I will refer this to a local Alaskan for confirmation but I don't believe there has been a run of Sockeye Salmon yet in Alaska, the July and August sailings should see fresh Salmon. See links below for run dates.

http://www.alaskasportsden.com/Fishing_Calendar.htm

 

May

 

King Salmon/Chinook Kenai River, Anchor River/Deep Creekinilchik River, Kasilof River

King Salmon

(Salt Water) Cook Inlet

Halibut Cook Inlet

Top of Page

 

June

 

King Salmon/Chinook Kenai River, Anchor River/Deep Creekinilchik River, Kasilof River

King Salmon Fly-in Chuite, Karluk, and Theodore River Fly-in

King Salmon

(Salt Water) Cook Inlet

Red Salmon/Sockeye Kenai, Russian River and Fly-in

Halibut Cook Inlet

Rainbow Trout

Northern Pike

Arctic Char

Dolly Varden

Grayling

Top of Page

 

Cook Inlet Drainages - Fly-in

 

 

 

 

 

 

July

 

King Salmon /Chinook Kenai River, Kasilof River

King Salmon Fly-in Karluk River, Bristol Bay Drainages - Fly-in

King Salmon (Salt Water) Cook Inlet/Kachemak Bay

Silver Salmon /Coho Kenai River, Anchor River/Deep Creekinilchik River

Red Salmon (Sockeye) Kenai River, Russian River

Halibut Cook Inlet

 

Rainbow Trout

Northern Pike

Arctic Char

Dolly Varden

Grayling

Top of Page

Cook Inlet Drainages - Fly-in

 

 

 

 

 

August

 

King Salmon (Salt Water) Cook Inlet

Silver Salmon /Coho Kenai River, Anchor River/Deep Creekinilchik River

Silver Salmon Fly-out Cook Inlet/Bristol Bay

Red Salmon (Sockeye) Russian River

Halibut Cook Inlet

Steelhead Trout Anchor River/Deep Creekinilchik River

Rainbow Trout

Northern Pike

Arctic Char

Dolly Varden

Grayling

Top of Page

Kenai Peninsula Mountain Lakes-Fly-in

[F5Loar]

Wow! And I thought Alaskan Salmon was......well Alaskan Salmon. So many varities it boggles the mind to wonder what you will have if you do get it while in Alaska. That being said what type do they serve at the famous Salmon Bake Excursion? I've seen photos of this event and they look like just plain ole Salmon to me. Can I get fresh caught Salmon there? The report of fresh salmon on board the NCL Star last year is the only report I've heard about it making me believe it was indeed fact more so then fiction. Was that really just a fluke, one off, never again treat?

[Toyz711]

they sure didn't advertise any one night being fresher then any other.

 

you might want to ask about the salmon over in the alaska boards

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

maybe some of the locals can tell you what is service. but i have heard that the thane ore house

http://www.thaneorehouse.com/

is better then the salmon bake.

[F5Loar]

In reviews of the Salmon Bake both here and on the net looks like a 95% great rating. Only a few thought it was awful. The other place does have Halibut but lacks some of the other things the SB serves. And the money to go on your own to either of these places is not that much different from the ship's price which is what I generally find in 75% of the cases. People compain about the ship's prices being so much more but when you factor in they won't leave you if the tour runs late it's cheap insurance to me.

I'll be on the Pearl Sunday and if I can sniff out fresh salmon from ship on board I'll be sure and report back to here.

[kaykels]

Can you point me in the direction of the menus that you posted? I've been looking for them and can't come up with them.

Thanks

[friscoguys]

Just got off the Pearl yesterday. The salmon at the sushi bar was from Norway according to the chef. If they are not using fresh salmon there then I doubt the rest of the ship would. The sushi (nigiri)was fishy tasting compared to the sushi I regularly eat at home so I wouldn't recommend it, however we sampled 6 or 7 rolls and they were very good.