rnr4thatsme

4 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

I’ve never been to a mushers dog yard where the dogs weren’t chained.  These are working dogs that live outside year round and are not house pets.  They love to run and will run away given the chance. They will also get into fights. 

Ok!  Makes sense... I'm assuming like anything, there are good and bad operators.  I was just wondering if the dogs are treated humanely at the Dyea mushing camp.

Or anyone been on this that could give me a review of the excursion?  I can't seem to find this exact same sounding excursion on other lines or private?

28 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

Did you happen to check in the Alaska forum? https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/33-alaska/

I did, but wasn't able to find anything...  I can't seem to find the provider or an exact match to it elsewhere to check reviews on there.

Has anyone been on this excursion?  Hoping to find a review!

Has anyone done this tour with NCL or another cruise company?  I'm wondering how the dogs are kept - on chains or in a yard?  I want to be sure the business I support is treating their animals humanely.  One photo I saw showed the dogs living in a communal yard with toys, etc. which I think looked great, I am just unable to tell which camp that is.

Hello!   Are people still receiving these codes on their NCL account after they sail?   I have a cruise coming up in December and am looking to book August 2025.  I'm not sure if I should just wait until December to book?   Can I book now and then have them re-price it if I get a code later or onboard?  I will be using Cruisefirst if that makes a difference.

I, too, am wondering about the difference between the views on the bus and the train?   The bus is considerably cheaper.

Can I ask where you saw the bus that includes dog sled?   That sounds fantastic!

Would Cruise Next or Cruise First be considered "stacking discounts"?

With the snorkelling from shore at Money Bar, do you walk into deep water or is it a shallow entrance that gets gradually deeper?   Do you need to be deep to see fish?

Hi there!  Any ideas what kind of updates we will see in Spirit's dry dock in January 2025?   Hoping there's a thermal spa!

Would Carnival Luminosa be likely to be able to make this stop in mid-August (reading that July may be iffy)...

Does anyone know where Luminosa docks in Ketchikan?   Is it walkable to Creek Street?

I haven't been, but I would recommend you watch a youtube video of the float before you decide.  I was thinking of that one myself, but just be aware it does go through some residential areas - it's not all scenic floating.

I've been reading about nightmare line-ups for shuttle busses in some of the Alaska ports such as Sitka (if it's a bigger ship using the out of town dock) and Ketchikan (if sailing on NCL to Ward Cove).  How does one find out if the ship one is considering drops you off in town where you can just walk to the town, or away and you need a shuttle?    Especially for the following ports - Juneau, Skagway, Icy Straight Point...  The thought of standing in line for an hour for a shuttle does not seem appealing.  We are having to sail in July or August, as well, so the ships will probably be full (friend is a teacher).

Does this promo run often?  I often book oceanview cabins and was able to take advantage of this this time, but wondering if on my upcoming cruise, I should buy two cruise next again with the hopes of using them again in summer 2025.

Sorry, I'm finding this confusing...   A person can buy FCD for ANOTHER PERSON who is NOT sailing?   Does that have to be done onboard or can it be done after the cruise within 60 days?  What information does the person buying the FCD (if it must be done onboard) need about the person the FCD is intended for?   And can they also still buy for themselves then?

I've been reading about the various cuts HAL is making and wondering if these classes are rumoured to be on the chopping block?   I am already sad to learn that classical music is being cut.  Hoping not too many more cuts before summer 2025!

51 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Ah, no. The Band gets one night off per week, typically, as does every performer.

Thanks @cruiserbruce!   Do they alternate, so that one is always open?

Hi there!  Considering Eurodam for Alaska 2025...  Are these venues open every night? 

Can anyone tell me the approximate costs of some of the additional activities onboard?  I was reading in the reviews that many of the activities are extra cost.   I was wondering, like i-Fly, bumper cars etc?   Are all those extra fee?

Hi there!   What is your favourite ship with the best indoor and/or heated outdoor (thinking heat lamps etc) viewing options with seating?  Is there a ship you've been on which you did NOT like the observation areas available?  We are doing an oceanview cabin, so we won't have our own private seating area.

Hello!   I've been thinking of gifting my elderly father and his wife an Alaskan cruise on HAL this summer.  I was reading about the platinum protection plan and it says it covers pre-existing conditions and makes no mention as to age?  Is this too good to be true?  Being as they are an older couple, they definitely have medical conditions etc - nothing serious, but the usual things for people of a certain age.  And being of that age, I want to purchase very good insurance, which this plans sounds like it is.  Does anyone have any advice?

I am looking at some excursions in ports where we would dock at 7am.  For example, one itinerary has us docking in Juneau from 7-1:30 and I was looking at the Sea Kayak Adventure which is 3.5 hours long.  Would there likely be multiple start times, some later than 7am?  Or are the 7am ports generally mean having a very early morning if you are planning on doing an excursion?

On 2/8/2024 at 10:36 PM, tetleytea said:

Those cruise line buses in Ward Cove are horrible.   The lines to get into town are terrible.  And to get back to the ship, you have to return 1 1/2 hours early--and for a NCL round-trip Seattle cruise, that port stop in Ketchikan is already very short. 

 

Taking the public bus the opposite direction to Totem Bight sounds like a great idea.  Or an excursion, or pretty much anything that lets you not have to take those buses.   We did Ward Cove twice:  one time we did the Zodiac excursion (which was awesome), and the other time we hired a driver who dropped us off at Ward Cove--quite a bit after all the bus passengers had boarded the ship already.  That bought us an extra hour of actually touring stuff.

 

So just curious, the Ketchikan stop for Bliss says 6:30am to 1:15 am, and you have to be back in the lineup downtown for the cruise line shuttle bus to Ward Cove by 11:45 then?  Or back on board ship at 11:45?

Has anyone done this tour?   We are contemplating going August 9, 2025.  While I would love to see bears, any wildlife with a beautiful view would make me happy. I ask specifically about the one offered through the cruiseline so we could use our excursion credit towards the cost.