NCL Alaska July Cruise

[DBert22]

Tips/Advice. On Jewel

 

 

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[don't-use-real-name]

What are you interested in ?

Are your interests strictly with the ship itself ?

Port Calls - Glacier activity ?

Have an interest in Land based tours pre-post cruise ?

 

The JEWEL does the north-south bound inside passage Vancouver to Seward (Anchorage) and the reverse.

The BLISS is doing a closed loop round trip out of Seattle.

The Pearl is doing a mix and match.

 

What time frame are you interested in ?

Do you know what a Roll Call is and where to find it here at CC ?

Look up the Roll Call for the JEWEL sailing in the period you are interested and read on.

You don't have to join in but you are free to read along and see what others are doing on that cruise time frame.

 

On a budget check the sailings before and after the period of interest - you might find it more productive

to change your cruise time frame or just leave it as is.

[gambit57]

Have you been to Alaska before? With the Bliss round trip itinerary, times in port aren't the greatest. Especially the Juneau (what I consider the most important port) and it goes to what I consider the worst glacier of the 3 (Tracy Arm vs Glacier Bay or Hubbard).

 

I only picked the Bliss because I've been to Alaska before and I really want to check out the ship. Otherwise, I totally would have picked a one-way itinerary.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

I will give you a piece of advice that I have given three other Alaska cruisers and all three took the advice and thanked me for it. I have to mention that two of them were really tight with a dollar.

Book the expensive pilots choice helicopter tour.

When we did it the price was around $400 each and worth every penny.

On three cruises to Alaska this is by far our favorite.

[pr0pel]

Answer the second post, then spend a week searching https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

[buddy1755]

Tips/Advice. On Jewel

 

 

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DW and I will be on the July 9th North bound, we are putting our trip together, 4 days in BC before, and 4 in Anchorage area after.....staying in Airb&bs....flying into Victoria.

[BirdTravels]

Always remember that FlightTour excursions are dependent on weather. Ketchikan rains almost every day, and if the ceilings are low, nothing flies. On our Jewel R/T Seattle last year, flights were cancelled in two ports. People were screaming at the poor shore ex people about operators not able to fly through mountain passes in solid clouds. Also, FlightTours have to be cancelled BEFORE the cruise (can’t be cancelled onboard).

[RD29P5]

Something I learned real quick on the Pearl last year, that I now know to bring with me for the Jewel this year. Their coffee cups are on the smallish side, so if you're a coffee drinker bring a thermal cup with you. Good binocular's are a must have item in my opinion, but that may be just me, I could spend the day on the balcony just looking at the scenery and be perfectly happy. Oh yeah make sure you have a hat and gloves, it get's chilly when in and around the glacier's.

[KarimaJ]

We took the Jewel July 29 last summer and had a great time. We got the spa pass, while not as fancy as the newer ships, it was not crowded and felt wonderful after a day of walking/hiking around Alaska.

We loved the Martini bar, and Spinnaker lounge. This had glass walls that overlooked the front of the ship all around. So great for sitting and watching the scenery.

Def bring hat and gloves for the glacier days.

We took a cab up to Mendenhall glacier and hiked to Nugget Falls, so beautiful!

[DBert22]

What are you interested in ?

 

Are your interests strictly with the ship itself ?

 

Port Calls - Glacier activity ?

 

Have an interest in Land based tours pre-post cruise ?

 

 

 

The JEWEL does the north-south bound inside passage Vancouver to Seward (Anchorage) and the reverse.

 

The BLISS is doing a closed loop round trip out of Seattle.

 

The Pearl is doing a mix and match.

 

 

 

What time frame are you interested in ?

 

Do you know what a Roll Call is and where to find it here at CC ?

 

Look up the Roll Call for the JEWEL sailing in the period you are interested and read on.

 

You don't have to join in but you are free to read along and see what others are doing on that cruise time frame.

 

 

 

On a budget check the sailings before and after the period of interest - you might find it more productive

 

to change your cruise time frame or just leave it as is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[DBert22]

Thanks, we are doing a north bound cruise from Vancouver!! Late July! Followed by the land tour. Never been before but im an intense planner so i thought id see if anyone had good advice etc!

 

 

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[DBert22]

Something I learned real quick on the Pearl last year, that I now know to bring with me for the Jewel this year. Their coffee cups are on the smallish side, so if you're a coffee drinker bring a thermal cup with you. Good binocular's are a must have item in my opinion, but that may be just me, I could spend the day on the balcony just looking at the scenery and be perfectly happy. Oh yeah make sure you have a hat and gloves, it get's chilly when in and around the glacier's.

 

 

 

Thank you!! Already made aluminum coffee cups for each of us!! Sipping coffee, watching the sights is one of the things I look forward to most!

 

 

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[DBert22]

We took the Jewel July 29 last summer and had a great time. We got the spa pass, while not as fancy as the newer ships, it was not crowded and felt wonderful after a day of walking/hiking around Alaska.

 

We loved the Martini bar, and Spinnaker lounge. This had glass walls that overlooked the front of the ship all around. So great for sitting and watching the scenery.

 

Def bring hat and gloves for the glacier days.

 

We took a cab up to Mendenhall glacier and hiked to Nugget Falls, so beautiful!

 

 

 

Thank you, hoping to do a 2 hour whale watch then head to Mendenhall!! My son also wants to do the Mt Roberts Tram.

 

 

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[DBert22]

I will give you a piece of advice that I have given three other Alaska cruisers and all three took the advice and thanked me for it. I have to mention that two of them were really tight with a dollar.

Book the expensive pilots choice helicopter tour.

When we did it the price was around $400 each and worth every penny.

On three cruises to Alaska this is by far our favorite.

 

 

 

We are going to have our kiddos with us, could never convince my hubby to drop that kind of cash unfortunately.

 

 

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[DBert22]

Thanks everyone who has reached out, my thoughts are to do a whale watch in Vancouver bc we really want to see orcas, I’m thinking the guided nature tour in Ketchikan (praying to see a bear in the estuary), Creek st, Salmon Ladder. Then in Juneau I’m trying to figure out if we can squeeze several things in...there is a 2 hour whale watch (humpbacks), then they drop you at Mendenhall. The shuttle then leaves you at the Roberts Tramway which we really want to do as well. Skagway I’m thinking about booking spots on one of the mini-bus tours to emerald lake, Carcross. We are traveling with our 11 and 8 year old. My in-laws are going as well but they are very leery of using non cruise ship excursions, I’m pro bc 1. Supports the contractor best 2.cheaper 3. Smaller group size. As long as i book them early in the day so there is a lot of cushion to get back to the boat i think we’ll be fine. This is how these people make their living, they don’t want bad reviews on trip advisor etc. thoughts? Thanks

 

 

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[DBert22]

What are you interested in ?

 

Are your interests strictly with the ship itself ?

 

Port Calls - Glacier activity ?

 

Have an interest in Land based tours pre-post cruise ?

 

 

 

The JEWEL does the north-south bound inside passage Vancouver to Seward (Anchorage) and the reverse.

 

The BLISS is doing a closed loop round trip out of Seattle.

 

The Pearl is doing a mix and match.

 

 

 

What time frame are you interested in ?

 

Do you know what a Roll Call is and where to find it here at CC ?

 

Look up the Roll Call for the JEWEL sailing in the period you are interested and read on.

 

You don't have to join in but you are free to read along and see what others are doing on that cruise time frame.

 

 

 

On a budget check the sailings before and after the period of interest - you might find it more productive

 

to change your cruise time frame or just leave it as is.

 

 

 

Do i look up roll call on cruise critic? Thanks

 

 

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[don't-use-real-name]

Do i look up roll call on cruise critic? Thanks

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Roll call LINK for the JEWEL sailing July 23: Northbound

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcalls/norwegian-jewel-july-23-2018/

[KarimaJ]

We almost always do private tours , much better personalized experience, smaller, cheaper like you said. We took a tour to Emerald Lake and really liked that! We happened to see a bear with cubs crossing road and also saw them on the road to Mendenhall Glacier as well. We are from New England so we have seen bears and whales in the wild so we skipped those excursions. But it was still cool to see them.

 

 

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[DBert22]

Roll call LINK for the JEWEL sailing July 23: Northbound

 

 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcalls/norwegian-jewel-july-23-2018/

 

 

 

Thanks so much!

 

 

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[DBert22]

We almost always do private tours , much better personalized experience, smaller, cheaper like you said. We took a tour to Emerald Lake and really liked that! We happened to see a bear with cubs crossing road and also saw them on the road to Mendenhall Glacier as well. We are from New England so we have seen bears and whales in the wild so we skipped those excursions. But it was still cool to see them.

 

 

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Thanks, I’m so excited to see Emerald Lake! Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I will prob cry if I can see orcas jumping out of the water and a bear (from a safe but close distance)! Momma and babies would be amazing! We are from Kansas so not many exciting wildlife encounters! Thanks for your reply.

 

 

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[DBert22]

Another question that hopefully you guys can answer...When I look at the ship schedule it shows (for instance) Skagway 8am-8pm. But at the bottom of the page it says that you can't disembark for 2 hours after docking and you must be aboard 2 hours prior to sailing. So do we really only have 10am-6pm for excursions or are they smart enough to list the actual (i know approximation ) times of land time? Please and thanks!!

 

 

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[RD29P5]

Having never been much of a morning person, plus I was on vacation, I really can't say what time they started letting folks off in port in the morning. I can pretty much say is was not 2 hours after we docked though. All aboard time was 1 hour prior to scheduled departure.

[DBert22]

Having never been much of a morning person, plus I was on vacation, I really can't say what time they started letting folks off in port in the morning. I can pretty much say is was not 2 hours after we docked though. All aboard time was 1 hour prior to scheduled departure.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

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[TQuila]

Another question that hopefully you guys can answer...When I look at the ship schedule it shows (for instance) Skagway 8am-8pm. But at the bottom of the page it says that you can't disembark for 2 hours after docking and you must be aboard 2 hours prior to sailing. So do we really only have 10am-6pm for excursions or are they smart enough to list the actual (i know approximation ) times of land time? Please and thanks!!

 

The two hour window relates to the initial embarkation from the first port, and the final debarkation at your destination. Usually you can get off the ship pretty quickly after arrival at ports of call, and all-aboard is generally 30 minutes before the sail time when you leave. So you'll probably truly have something like 8:15am to 7:30pm

[DBert22]

The two hour window relates to the initial embarkation from the first port, and the final debarkation at your destination. Usually you can get off the ship pretty quickly after arrival at ports of call, and all-aboard is generally 30 minutes before the sail time when you leave. So you'll probably truly have something like 8:15am to 7:30pm

 

 

 

Thank you, appreciate your answer!

 

 

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