SomewhereGirl

Original and revised, from the roll call:

The next cruise doesn't embark until 9PM on 12/11, unless the website hasn't been updated. The letter that was originally posted on the other thread said sustainability, but also something about port operations. I can believe port operations wouldn't have been available at 12AM.

Posted this in the other thread, didn't the original itinerary have a 12AM disembarkation, that was changed to 4AM? Could that be why the airline change fees are offered? Because people may have originally scheduled an early morning flight? Why would NCL offer to cover flight changes if people had later flights and now a 4AM disembarkation? Can anyone confirm what the original disembarkation time was?

Before the original post was edited, didn't the original itinerary have a 12AM disembarkation, that was changed to 4AM? Could that be why the airline change fees are offered? Because people may have originally scheduled an early morning flight? Why would NCL offer to cover flight changes if people had later flights and now a 4AM disembarkation?

Terms and Conditions | Alaska Railroad Look under Change Fees

I still cringe when I think of the smallish group excursion I took in St Petersburg that included a ride on the subway (to see the fancy stations). We got on and one stop and off at the next, but the subway was packed and I cringe at how easy it would've been to get separated from the group with no way to communicate with guide. Scary.

There's no harm in trying. I was able to pay for a reduced-price upgrade at Guest Services after the Covid restart when ships were sailing at reduced capacity. Years before Covid I was able to switch balconies once onboard but I think that was a Pacific Coastal, not like a sailing in Alaska in the middle of Summer at max capacity. The only other time I inquired was on a Baltics cruise on the Star, when I was at the end of my rope with a snoring cabin mate. GS offered me another cabin for sleeping for $200.

My last four cruises were solo, and I too am a bit introverted and don't crave the socializing. On my last cruise I went solo to the Tepanyaki restaurant where you are seated with a group. Got talking to a nice couple there and after that I would see them at other activities. Another time I met another solo during a behind the scenes tour. After that we bumped into each other in the buffet for breakfast and sit together. When I was out exploring Liverpool solo on a port day, I met a couple from the ship. They ended up on one of my other excursions so we chatted. I've been on excursions where there have been other solos. You'd be surprised at how many solos there are. Now, not everyone is that nice but there are nice people out there.

Which means the OP on this thread was dealing with an incompetent NCL employee and NCL has a degree of responsibility?

OP, what type of excursion are you speaking of?

If the passengers couldn't take a bus down to Skagway, how did the buses get to where they picked up the passengers so promptly to take them to Haines?

^^^This is excellent advice. Know where the shuttle stop is. In 2021 (the first year of Ward Cove), the shuttle bus drop off was at the Lumberjack Show end the pier. Maybe if it was this year, the current story might have been avoided. Back in 2021, I took the Lumberjack Show excursion from Ward Cove, and then was scheduled to take a separate one-way NCL boat excursion from town back to the ship. Couldn't find exactly where the boat excursion dock was. There was no signage and there weren't many people around. There was only 1 other ship in port, weather wasn't great, not many people on the streets. So I hung around where I thought the excursion would meet (instructions were not the best). Time was ticking. Luckily another couple showed up. We got to talking, and finally decided to get on the shuttle, which they knew was right there at the end of the pier that year. So thankful to that couple. I wouldn't have known where the shuttle was otherwise. Luckily the whole paid shuttle thing had ended on an earlier sailing so that was a non-issue. Last year the shuttle drop-off was at the opposite end down at Berth 4. This year? Maybe it's not even the same all season?

I did this 3 years ago. You'll meet in the Ward Cove building just like for any other excursion, and will be loaded onto a bus with your excursion group, not one of the regular shuttles. After the show, I recall being told where to meet the excursion bus back to port, but we were welcome to stay in town and find our own way back to Ward Cove (or take the regular shuttle back, which I did). As for the current story, I wouldn't be surprised if the excursion bus does the shuttle routes while people are at the show. Maybe the driver got confused on which service he/she was doing at the time.

You might be surprised about pool use in AK. When I sailed Encore in AK a few years ago there were people screaming down the slides as we were sailing out of Glacier Bay. In September.

I would think more raunchy would equal less "woke". But then the way the term "woke" is thrown around these days, it's less about actual meaning and more about broadcasting political preference.

The 2025 version says Continue on your journey south while traveling along the rails of the world-famous Alaska Railroad from Talkeetna to Anchorage in a deluxe dome railcar. and Deluxe dome car journey along the rails of the Alaska Railroad between Talkeetna and Anchorage For the price of those cruisetours I would hope they wouldn't cheap out on the class.

I, too, wonder if it's a size issue in some of the lesser known ports. Back in 2015 I was on the Star in the Baltics, when the Star was sailing the Copenhagen-Stockholm-Helsinki-Tallin-St Petersburg route weekly (9-day itin) through the Summer. It was definitely less expensive back then (wasn't everything?), but it wasn't a unique itinerary like the one mentioned by the OP. Either the next year or the year after that, the Getaway was sailing that route, but couldn't dock at the same port in Stockholm that we had docked on the Star. (I can't remember if the ship was possibly in the region for drydock.) If NCL thought they could fill a bigger ship that sails to Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, they would. But if Getaway didn't last in the region, there must be a reason.

I was on the Majestic roughly those same dates back in 2022, going the northern route to San Francisco and Santa Barbara. It wasn't close to Easter. I don't recall many kids at all or boozers. I do recall in the weeks leading up to that cruise that there were more postings about kids on Live reviews. If Discovery is alternating between going north and going south to Mexico, I would expect more "excitement" on the Mexico route. Going north was pretty mellow.

I've only taken the train from Anchorage to Seward once, booked directly with Alaska RR in Adventure class, and the seat was assigned, but plenty of opportunity to get up and walk around. The water views were on the right side. Not sure how seating works if booked through a cruise line.

The OP is asking how to set it up, not for opinions on if they should.

I was traveling solo, and the bed was made up as a queen so really took up a lot of the room. If you are concerned about not having the extra space from the balcony, having the bed separated into twins can really open up a room when you can walk between the beds. The bed direction is different in interior and balcony cabins. This tour had some incredible views of other lochs and the Highlands: Sightseeing Day Tour of Scotland from Glasgow Greenock - Busybus There are other companies. I think Loch Lomond was much more scenic than Ness. Sadly, it's the one day I didn't realize I had left my camera on the ship until it was too late. 😭 Some nice fellow passengers were kind enough to send me pictures after the cruise.

I sailed Majestic out of LA a couple years ago. I ventured up to the forward pool and conservatory just looking for some place to enjoy the views, not to swim. I don't recall an abundance of seating in the conservatory. Tried to sit in of the cabana things by the pool but the chlorine smell was too strong. Lack of air flow? There's really not much indoor or outdoor area to sit in the shade. That was a bummer.

Any withdrawn posts could be because the person's name (which I suppose could be fake) was on the letter that is now posted here on CC even if it was withdrawn elsewhere. Do we know what time the person was denied boarding (was it after everyone else checked in)? I don't have any reason to believe someone would take the time to come up with that story and draft a letter like that if it wasn't legit, just for "drama". NCL can do wrong. Mistakes happen.

I did a 12-day British Isles on the Emerald in a inside cabin. I was solo and was only able to do it because I got a great deal. Saving money on the cabin freed up funds for all the excursions on the port intensive (only 2 sea days) cruise. I also had an inside on a high deck with pretty quick access outside just one deck above. Inside on a very low deck might have been a very different experience. Also, Loch Ness is just a lake (a loch). It's nothing particularly special but Urquhart Castle was kind of cool if you like castle ruins.

I don't understand why people are questioning whether the letter was real. It looks like a picture of a piece of paper taken with a camera, not an email. Probably a quick letter generated on scene. Not a form letter for an uncommon situation. For what purpose would someone create that letter if it didn't come from NCL?