Dad (elderly and disabled), brother (30s) and I (30s) are booked on a surprise (for them) 7-day Alaskan cruise on NCL Encore next June. It's the round trip Seattle itinerary visiting Glacier Bay, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan with balconies. It's both our first ever cruise and first Alaskan cruise, so should be exciting! I'm having some second thoughts about the itinerary, though, and wondering if we should book on Princess or HAL instead? Here's why I chose the Encore:
The ship looks modern and upscale with lots of amenities, which is our vibe
Given dad's disability, round trip has shorter flights than north or southbound, and Seattle is slightly easier than Vancouver, since domestic flights mean shorter travel days
NCL's laid back, do what you want when you want attitude mirrors our approach to vacations
Attractions like laser tag, VR, go karts, water slides etc would appeal to my brother and I (in some ways, we're big kids 😁)
Everyone will enjoy Choir of Man, dad will enjoy the Beatles cover band and live music.
The specialty restaurants look exciting (we have free at sea and are amateur foodies)
In reviewing the dailies, it was easy to find things each of us would enjoy
So NCL seemed like a great fit, but now I'm seeing a few potential drawbacks: First, port times aren't great. Juneau is 2:30-11, but most everything except restaurants/bars are closed by 5 or 6; Ketchikan is actually ward cove, so 6 hours in port is probably closer to 3 useable hours. Victoria is a wash since its 3 hours at night. I've heard Alaska cruises are about the ports, but only Skagway has substantial port time. Granted, I found excursions for each port, but I'm concerned it'll feel rushed. Second, the highlight of the cruise for dad will be the scenery. If I'm understanding correctly, the inside passage shouldn't be missed if scenery is a priority, but this isn't part of the Encore's itinerary. It seems the only way to get inside passage, glacier bay and full-day port times is to take a Vancouver based itinerary on Princess or HAL. Thing is, I'm worried we'll be bored on those ships. It's easy to find things each of us would like on Encore dailies, but notably harder on Ruby Princess/ HAL Koningsdam, where entertainment is less varied and more traditional. But maybe the longer port times make this concern irrelevant?
Given the above, do you think our party would be better served sticking with the Encore or switching to Princess or HAL? Two other smaller considerations: 1. The pricing is comparable across all 3 lines so thats a non-issue, and 2. The Encore has accessible aft balconies (better for scenic viewing?), but the Ruby and Koningsdam do not. Appreciate any and all feedback!