don't-use-real-name

The crew may --- might advise of pre-cautions during times of bad weather - but restrictions ? Unlikely in a routine cruise.

Princess Royal Princess M107 is on deck 15 starboard corner overlooking the Bridge Unless CVP is an official spokesperson for Princess and/or Princess has put out something in written form - Forward facing Balconies can be used while underway - There are the usual cautions about wind and weather affecting opening the balcony door (sometimes not so much a sliding door) but more of a hatch. During foul weather opening the balcony door use caution AND most certainly do not open the interior passageway cabin door at the same time creating a vortex wind blowing thru that may cause problems with the outer balcony door closing. Why would you have a balcony that you can't use ? Since your cabin is located ABOVE the Bridge there should not be any significant restrictions of night cabin lighting - just keep the elephant waltz dancing to a minimum. General observation of forward facing balconies most all cruise lines and ships - - -

This ONLY applies to MSC cruise line ? AND Not NCL ? Egads how cheap can you get ! Clarification Please !

That is true - being in the Garden Villa for 7 cruise nights - 6 bottles is more than ample - I too brought home 3 and shared 3 partying Caution the bottles (liters) are glass - take care in packing them home !

1-855-625-4283 NCL's pre-cruise conciergedesk is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET and can bereached by calling 1-855-625-4283. You'll need to give them your reservation number first thing. After making your requests, they will also ask about extra towel preferences, coffee & tea preferences, pillow selection, etc. If you are not delighted with the choices available pre-cruise - order something and then when first on board contact the ships Concierge or your Butler for substitutions - Do not break the seal or uncork your pre cruise selections until then. Being in the OS DOS Garden Villa you no doubt have some sort of beverage package use it till the situation is resolved. Often Candian Club is not available and Crown Royal is substituted or maybe you prefer Seagrams VO and other options - - - Your taste your preference !

Hawaiian state government liquor taxes throw a wrench into the NCL packages - - - ?

Pre-cruise Concierge should be able to help with the liquor selection. 1-855-625-4283 ncl pre cruise concierge - Search (bing.com) Don't expect top shelf premium spirits - If not pre-arranged before boarding the ship have your Concierge and/or Butler take care of this to include all the fixins and other beverages in the mini-fridge.

This appears to be a text book example for Elliott and his organization to have a field day with: About the Elliott Report - Elliott Report

The WPYRR trains that pick-up passengers at the Railroad or Ore docks are the simple round trips to the Summit and back. No walking into town and the Depot. For other trips going to Fraser - cruise line guests walk*** to the WPYRR Depot (about any where from 2 - 4 block walk) in Skagway - board a shuttle bus that takes the guests to a track siding about 10 or so blocks away {close to the WPYRR maintenance terminal.} *** The excursion operator may make arrangements for the shuttle to pick-up guests at the gangway and take the guests directly to the train. Ask specific direct questions about this ! The Fraser shore excursions take the same tracks the Summit trains do - but at the Summit continues on to Fraser. This is a Passport required excursion !

Make that FLAVORED Bottle Water ! LOL !

In review (Monday morning quarter-backing) if per chance you are in the HAVEN OWNERS OR DELUXE OWNERS SUITE or smaller ship the GARDEN VILLA check with the Concierge on boarding for what magic can be done. In advance of boarding give the Concierge line a call - you are entitled to complimentary bottles of full proof beverages in your stateroom see if other arrangements/substitutions may be made. Between your Concierge - Butler and Haven Bartender see what can be done !

Getting beverages alcoholic and non on board any NCL vessel is a problem. If it is wine - you can get a pass with a corkage service charge*** ($15 pb) *** Have the beverage package this is waived The problem you will encounter is even WATER can't be brought on board ! Smuggling anything on board and the Spanish Inquisition results in a visit to the naughty room. There maybe a way to meet this head on by running it up the flag pole and contacting NCL directly for an approved solution - LINK to NCL: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) - Elliott Report Good Luck

There are two MDRs on the DAWN - the Aft Venetian dining room is the more formal of the two (the other being the Aqua). For breakfast and lunch purposes there really is no dining dress code - in the evening the Venetian the dress code is smart casual with men wearing l-o-n-g pants - the Aqua shorts are OK. The first cruise night on the ship - your checked luggage may not arrive at your stateroom timely to change so with that all restaurant venues there is no dress code. Subsequent cruise nights the Venetian MDR and LeBistro (specialty restaurant) have the smart casual dress code in place. If your cruise is into a humid tropical hot weather area - dress codes {maybe} lessen

Well there is ZERO calorie soft drinks and non-alcoholic beer (although there is really a trace amount of alcohol 00.05 %) - - - But ZERO proof alcoholic drinks - hummm ? zero proof alcohol - Search (bing.com) While I have not seen any zero proof alcohol behind or on shelves of the ships bar - simply ask the bartender to do his magic creating that drink WITHOUT alcohol. Fruity drinks are easier than straight up poured directly from the/a bottle. Smaller kiosk bars may not be able to fulfill your request but certainly there should be some speakeasy (large main atrium) bars to accommodate you ! You noted booking in the Haven - these bartender guys are good real good at what they do !

Something else to remember is the seasonal AKRR trains operate in Day Light hours time. Who would want to see the scenic sights in dusk twilight Alaska Mid-Night-Sun. Day time the rail traffic is passenger trains - at night that is when the freights take over. As noted in GTJ pdf file the Chartered Cruise trains do not connect with the scheduled AKRR trains - an overnight - break in travel is required to create such a connection. The cruise port rail traffic WILL ALWAYS require an overnight stay in Anchorage to take the daily (seasonal) Denali Star train running between Anchorage and Fairbanks {v-v}. There are two Denali trains one leaving Fairbanks 8am arriving Anchorage 8pm and the sister trip leaving Anchorage 8am arriving Fairbanks 8pm. At the mid-point of the route these trains exchange crew (each crew returning to its origin base - saves AKRR crew dorm lodging expenses). Yes the buses travel the points between sites faster - road speed 55 mph - while the AKRR average speed is 35-45 mph and because of the scenic nature of the trip may stop one or more time to view the sites animals and other interesting stuff. The railroad tracks are always under continuous upgrading and safety improvements just like the George Parks Highway #3 in some places built on what appears to be frozen moving terrain. The more you inquire - read about - and learn about this dynamic Last Frontier should amaze you to no end - - - Alaska is a land of development - Build it and they will come - they have already started ! Also note that airline flights have time versus distance issues- at a minimum of 4 hours to connect with the lower 48 (Seattle) - PLAN and THINK carefully what travel arrangements you are concocting - build in that insurance extra day overnight to make things work smoothly.

The land tours are not exclusively with the Alaska Railroad chartered or otherwise. There will be times that the BUS will be the only timely method to coordinate the movement between tour activities - this especially around the Denali Park. Of note the train ride (in season) from Anchorage to/from Fairbanks is 12 hours - At the end of these trains it is common to see the Princess and Holland-America cars - operating full or deadheading empty between points.

As long as you need the CPAP's for a restful night slumber - having them checked with the land tour operator should not be a problem. Your carry-on baggage takes care of the immediate needs by day and the checked luggage with CPAPs moved from tour location to the next nightly. May entail an extra piece of luggage but there should be no extra board charge for the CPAP's since these are similar to a handicap aid. If there is a serious need for accessibility during the day the tour operator should be able to find a small knitch to have them available. Unlikely such a need - these usually need AC power and are used for nightly slumber. My BIL used one on his Alaska pre-cruise tour package - everything worked fine ! Suggest you do make contact with the tour operator's representative in advance about the handling of the CPAP's in checked tour luggage !

Call 1-800-327-7030 number to check on this ? On board check with Guest Services for more info In a Suite check with your Butler Full liquor bottles of booze provided in Owners/Deluxe Owners & Garden Villa suites Other staterooms - check with Room Service From my post May 30 2014 BEWARE DATED MATERIAL Posted May 30, 2014 NCL BAR SET UP as of November 2013 * Does NOT include the $3.00 each bottle service fee ! * Also note the 800 phone number to call in advance for the Bar Set-Up ! These alcoholic beverages are sold as Bar Set Up amenity orders. Available on all Ships excluding Pride of America. Please Note: Pricing from Nov. 2013 Bar Set-Up is available for all stateroom categories. Bar Set-Up is available for purchase onboard but you will be charged 15% on top of the price of the bottle instead of the $3 service fee. Bar Set-Up must be pre-arranged before the voyage and can be requested up to the day prior to sailing. Prices are subject to change. Service fee of $3.00 per bottle will be applied. 1.800.327.7030 Bourbon/Whiskey Seagram's 7 Crown $80 1 Ltr Jack Daniel's Black $100 1 Ltr Crown Royal Special Reserve $100 750 Ml Cognac Courvoisier VS $120 750 ml Rémy Martin V.S.O.P $100 700 ml Gin Beefeater $80 1 Ltr Bombay Sapphire $100 1 Ltr Liqueurs Baileys Irish Cream $100 1 Ltr Southern Comfort $100 1 Ltr Disaronno Amaretto $100 1 Ltr Godiva Chocolate $100 750 Ml Grand Marnier $100 1 Ltr Kahlua $100 1 Ltr Rum Bacardi Superior $80 1 Ltr Captain Morgan $80 1 Ltr Scotch Whiskey J&B Rare $80 1 Ltr Glenfiddich $100 1 Ltr Chivas Regal $100 1 Ltr JW Black $123 980 Ml Tequila Cuervo Gold $80 1 Ltr 1800 Reposado $100 750 Ml Don Julio Reposado $120 750 Ml Vodka Smirnoff $80 1 Ltr Absolut $100 1 Ltr Absolut Citron $100 1 Ltr Absolut Apeach $100 1 Ltr Grey Goose $120 1 Ltr Grey Goose L'Orange $120 1 Ltr Grey Goose La Poire $120 1 Ltr

NCL ships will dock at Ward Cove about some 7 miles away shuttle service provided. The four main docks at Ketchikan - Yes Tongass is the major big merchant and near the cruise docks Google Map image - Zooom in or out for more detail - - - Google Maps Tongass is the large rectangular building in the center of the image. Don't buy at first impulse - shop around there are other stores - beginning of the season prices not so good - end of season prices buy 1-2-3 and get one two three free etc. (BOGO sales) With the recent NCL move to Ward Cove there may be stores there also - - -

10 days instead of 7 days is better - UNLESS they are 3 extra days are SEA DAYS. Sailing out of Seattle will almost always have a SEA day in passage by the Pacific Ocean side of Vancouver Island. Having a port call at Sitka may result in an additional SEA day. And for cruises ending at Seward or Whittier the final leg may be a SEA day. Common for the 10 day Alaska cruises to be a ship positioning cruise early or late in the season - after doing 7 days of Alaskan cruising the final port call at San Francisco or Los Angeles (San Pedro) or Long Beach may have 2 or 3 SEA days. SEA days are not all that bad - a chance to escape a few more days away from reality !

On another token arriving a day early alternative - Stay at local airport hotel use shuttle to the hotel - Next day shuttle back to the airport to meet the NCL rep and transfer to the port ! A great deal more relaxed way to handle the situation - Let NCL transfer shuttle driver handle the mayhem at the port - it is his job - - -

NCL flights - transfers - would think that NCL would expect their guests to have luggage and wait a reasonable time for it to be off loaded from the NCL flight to the claim area and passed on to the NCL guest or bus shuttle operator and then at the port get it on board the ship post haste while the guest and gangplank are being stowed - WHEW that was close. Side note - there really is no rush to depart NOLA for port calls in the gulf or other destinations - after clearing the delta of the Mississippi River it is a least a SEA DAY anywhere to where the ship is going with plenty of time to make up for any delay. The down river and returning up river portion of the cruise is mostly unremarkable due to passage in the twilight dark hours of the night - - -

Until you check in - receive your key card and have an account - you really are not onboard to use any all of that gifted purchased comped ON BOARD Credit. The OBC has to be applied to an account - get the idea ! Once on board you may be able to switch out previously paid shore excursions with the OBC taking a paid credit against your account - hope NCL is user friendly in this respect. The KEY WORD here is ON BOARD !

Forward balconies are perfect when viewing glaciers - however underway tacking into the wind or just the forward movement may be a problem for some folk. Yes it can be a cool (cold) experience - one other thing to consider is having the balcony door open and then the cabin door opens to a cyclone of air movement thru the cabin. Papers and loose items scattering some even making it into the stateroom passageway. Then closing doors becomes a problem and may be a threat to limbs closing the open door(s). At night a forward balcony may be LIGHT restricted because of the Bridge above. Having bright lights on in the cabin a curtain must be pulled or dim the lights - reflection off of the balcony back up into the Bridge and suggested no flash photography. On a sunny cruise ordinarily a forward balcony can be one of the best places to be seeing what is ahead - having a drink or two - reading - sunning - relaxing - - - the deck area below the railing is generally enclosed and therefore sheltered from the wind. Some balconies also have an extension of the deck above offering more sheltering. During inclement weather an un-sheltered balcony may not be the best During heavy weather there may be a felt up and down movement. Not a real problem on the huge mega ships. So now decision time - with above cons to a balcony that don't happen ALL the time if at all. Pro point is the balcony is your own private viewing space not shared with others and that space may be greater than side facing balconies - does the keep you within budget ? Keep in mind that most of the cruising is done at night moving between ports of call. How much real use will you have with that forward balcony ?

XL - XXL - 2XL - 3X - 4X - 5?X PLUS Women's men's sizes ? Forget what the label says states - use the tried and true tape measure and then the best gauge of all "Try it On for Size". At the beginning of the season most all the sizes should be in stock for the fitting. At the end when the season is winding down this is when the sales occur and the available sizing is also diminished. Ketchikan {IMO} is the best port for clothing merchandise. In a fix for something immediately - the gift shop on the ship maybe the answer - BUT expect expensive stuff - may be less with frequent cruise status points rewards. In any event read the label and determine the country of manufacture - careful if it is of Asian origin - Try it for size - don't guess ! If buying a lot of clothing - plan how you are going to pack it away upon leaving the cruise ship and flying home ? Consider maybe mailing it if the merchant offers that service. Hint - wearing it means one less thing to pack away.