Ultragirl26

More pools on the mega ships! 4.000 people fighting for 1 main pool and a kid's pool is cray! I hate to say it, but RCL really has something going with it's (mostly)adults only Solarium and multiple pools. I'd love to see a "family Haven" area with exclusive access to some family friendly features that didn't break the bank. I'd love to try Haven some time but a) it's expesnive and b) I wouldn't necessarily feel comfortable taking my younger kids there as we would spend most of our time in the more kid friendly areas. If we stay in the Haven, we want to enjoy our time there. ;)

 

We like the food and entertainment for the most part. Wouldn't really change much there.

Yes, all the mega ships added was decks and decks and decks of balcony and mini-suite rooms. Didn't increase the common areas. NCL Escape is the only ship I had to wait to be seated in a general dining room. We enjoyed community dining on Holland America, met and made some great friends doing this!

I am not unhappy so much with the variation, but I do agree. However, my complaint is not enough new ports. Most every port they do has been around forever. I would love to see something a little different. As for the itineraries other lines offer I have to disagree with you there. Most of them are repeats as well. one really neat itinerary we were on was down the Atlantic coast on Princess repo about 4 years ago.

Agree! They'll have 3 different ships going the same route! Eastern St. Thomas, Tortola and Nassau is all you can get to in 3 days? Heck, throw Great Stirrup Cay in! Give us another beach day! Mis it up a little! Need to offer Eastern/Western/Southern combos with price enticements.

Stop policing the pool towels and police the deck chair usage!

Would love to see behind the scene tours on sea days. NCL offers as an excursion and charges, that is disappointing. Holland America offers them for free for the galley and the entertainment staff with Q&A. You get a free one at the Platinum level, we're about 1 or 2 after this summers away and looking forward to that perk.

yes or some other show in the afternoon like a comedy show or something. the afternoon on sea days is always a bit dull with not that much entertainment going on.

NCL Escape has a comedy theater and then late night it becomes a dueling piano bar, it was the highlight each night to attend! I believe it was NCL Pearl trip we did have a comedian on board 1 night only though.

I love the ideas of rotating adult dining hours - families should be able to make memories, but it's not fair to other diners to make them listen to your infant screeching all through dinner, or to overhear the temper tantrum that ensues after you stop your 4 year old from running laps around the table. (Cagneys last week, all in the same meal. Big fun.)

 

I'd also love afternoon shows on sea days - I always have big plans and book evening entertainment that I miss because I just can't stay awake after a day of fun...so, we miss things.

 

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Awesome feedback! What I loved about my Holland America cruise was adult only aft pool. Albeit many parents ignored that and I consistently had to go to officers to have them removed. Especially after teenagers took over the pool and had the nerve to smart off to a lady in her 70s trying to get out via the ladder. NCL Escape did a wonderful job keeping children out of Spice H20 it was fabulous!

• Higher end wines available by the glass (even with a UBP upcharge)
  
• American sports in the bars
  
• Water bottle fillers around the ship (kind of like the ones they have at gyms and airports)
  
• An actual Irish Beer on tap in O'Sheehans (or at least something better than Stella)
  
• Stop the beach towel accounting
  
• Free room service for breakfast or allow us to use one of our SDP choices to get free room service all week
  

Yes, love all the ideas, especially room service as an SDP choice! You can get free 'continental' breakfast for room service. You have to go to the service desk and ask for the door hangers, they'll try to give you 2 maybe 3 so you'll have to ask for the number of cruise days. Our last cruise was 11 days and he seemed a bit taken back when I asked for 11 of them, I said you can provide them all now or I'll just be back each evening. Most days this is our breakfast, fruit, juice, coffee, baked goods, you can also order cold cereal. We usually only eat breakfast in cafe or dining room on sea days.

71 days until my next adventure!

Daytime theater shows on sea days.

Great idea!!

Some answers above are not entirely accurate.

 

You are out of season for bears in Ketchikan. So no bear tours are available. Ketchikan city bus, is $2 one way

 

Sit on the LEFT side facing the front of the White Pass RR. leaving Skagway. IF round trip, you will be switching seats- unless you sit across from the bathroom. :)

 

Juneau- yes there are walk up whale watch tours- but don't compare Alaska with the Caribbean. :)

Don't expect big savings, and cheaper tours are some times going to be shorter. Longer means, "more". I am picky about my vendor as example. I also don't waste time in port trying to arrange tours. For Mendenhall shuttle buses, prices are similar between vendors. All do the same thing- transport you back and forth. Up to you- do you want to rent a car?

 

Seats are ASSIGNED on the Alaska RR, so no choice despite comments above. What I do, depending what side I'm assigned, I migrate depending where I am. I want the right side leaving Seward until Portage. Opportunities are in the vestibules or dome car. You do have a time limit in the dome car (adventure class) but, most of the time, I've ridden, not many are up there. I want the left side of the train after Portage. :)

 

There aren't any "whale watches" out of Seward, and it's Kenai fjords not the Kenai Peninsula. Boat tours are "necessary" for varied wildlife, and needing at least 6 hours on the water, If any interest in wildlife, . Not sure what you are referring to with the nonboat mention? You won't go on a boat tour?

 

For your bear watching. be certain to include Denali Park. Only one time there, I didn't see bears, well over 30 trips in. My min distance in is Eielson via shuttle bus, I don't consider less.

Thank you so much for the information.

I can only respond to a couple of your questions - I'm *NOT* an Alaska expert...

 

 

On the White Pass train are you taking a round trip? If so, you would probably want to sit on the left side on the way up the mountain and on the right side on the way back down. Otherwise you'll mostly be looking at a rock wall much of the time. The other suggestion I have is info I got from a local on my trip there: Take the train later in the day other than first thing in the morning. The reason is there is often low clouds/fog in the mornings so you won't have a very nice view from the train. Later in the day the fog & clouds will tend to burn off leaving better views.

 

Here's a pic I took heading towards Skagway from Fraser - I'm on the right side of the train - if you're on the left side there will be a lot of views of rock walls...

 

 

Looking towards the back of the train - I'm still on the right side of the train....

 

 

On the ride from Seward to Anchorage I'd probably want to sit on the left side of the train. The first part of the ride will be through forested areas but the last part before getting to Anchorage travels along the edge of the mountains and right near the water of the Turnagain Arm coast. That way you will have a clear view out over the water - you'll be able to see mountains (assuming it's not a cloudy/foggy day) across the water. I've not ridden the train from Seward to Anchorage but have driven the highway. I have no idea what kind of scenery you'll see before reaching the water view area. The train and highway run parallel and very near each other, hugging the coast line. The forested areas ARE beautiful though.

 

Here is a pic of the rail road tracks overlooking the Turnagain Arm coast - the left side of the pic is towards Seward, the right is towards Anchorage. I'm standing on the edge of the highway.

 

 

The non-coastal area looks something like this so at that point it probably wouldn't matter which side of the train you're on - taken just a few miles north of Seward. The tracks are only visible from the highway a few places.

 

Wow, thank you so much! Wonderful pictures you have captured! 86 days to go!!

In Ketchikan doubt if you can walk to see bears eating salmon. That being said, be advised that these bears will eat you if they are not full.

LOL I hear ya!

We're on the NCL Jewel 6/25/18 to Alaska for the first time, we are huge DIY and love to find the same tour off the ship cheaper fans! We've also been known to drive 3 hours (1 1/2 each way) on a road trip, just to eat at the birthplace of the hamburger, Louis Lunch Counter, so we like the off the beaten path stuff too. Therefore, I have a few questions:

Ketchikan: 7:00 - 4:00 Are there any known (easy to get to via foot) good places to see bears eating salmon? Any port really for this (at a safe distance, of course-LOL) A friend has already told me Ketchikan is a DIY port. $2 pp round trip bus to totem poles, any other good suggestions?

Juneau: 11:00 - 9:00 What is the difference between the "Blue" bus vs "White" bus to the Glacier? What is the cost of each? Are there whale watching excursions you can get at the port (think the Caribbean)? We have on the itinerary Mt Roberts Tram if views are good. Duck Fart shots are already on the menu...Anything else? Museums? Do you recommend renting a car?. We're traveling with another couple so that helps in splitting costs of car rental.

Skagway: 800 - 800 Already booked on the White Pass Railway, is there a better side of the train to sit on? We have about 3 hours after our tour, is there anything close by to do?

Seward: We're staying overnight and taking the train to Anchorage the next evening, is there a better side of the train to sit on? Are there off boat whale watching excursions? Any must do things?

Would love to know your favorite salmon restaurants, especially if it's a great deal, all ports!

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

Best,

Terri

Thanks, copying and pasting now!

Great idea! Thank you!!

We're on the NCL Jewel 6/25/18 to Alaska for the first time, we are huge DIY and love to find the same tour off the ship cheaper fans! We've also been known to drive 3 hours (1 1/2 each way) on a road trip, just to eat at the birthplace of the hamburger, Louis Lunch Counter, so we like the off the beaten path stuff too. Therefore, I have a few questions:

Ketchikan: 7:00 - 4:00 Are there any known (easy to get to via foot) good places to see bears eating salmon? Any port really for this (at a safe distance, of course-LOL) A friend has already told me Ketchikan is a DIY port. $2 pp round trip bus to totem poles, any other good suggestions?

Juneau: 11:00 - 9:00 What is the difference between the "Blue" bus vs "White" bus to the Glacier? What is the cost of each? Are there whale watching excursions you can get at the port (think the Caribbean)? We have on the itinerary Mt Roberts Tram if views are good. Duck Fart shots are already on the menu...Anything else? Museums? Do you recommend renting a car?. We're traveling with another couple so that helps in splitting costs of car rental.

Skagway: 800 - 800 Already booked on the White Pass Railway, is there a better side of the train to sit on? We have about 3 hours after our tour, is there anything close by to do?

Seward: We're staying overnight and taking the train to Anchorage the next evening, is there a better side of the train to sit on? Are there off boat whale watching excursions? Any must do things?

Would love to know your favorite salmon restaurants, especially if it's a great deal, all ports!

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

Best,

Terri

I didn't know they had sharing tables?

My boyfriend and I love doing sharing tables at dinner, we've met some of the best people ever! However, we've not had any luck on NCL I believe due to they have so many restaurant choices. However, they do have the single meetups. Hopefully, you'll find some others on here to connect with prior to.

Ok, blonde at work here! I figured it out! I've been on the Pearl 2xs and loved it!

I have read 2 times now about M&G, what is that?