Just Booked First Alaska Cruise on Encore for first week in July; What MUST I do before embarkation?

[jjesq99]

Hopefully I'm posting this is in the right place...:)

 

We are on Encore's 7-day Glacier Bay Itinerary r/t from Seattle.  We are a family of 4, daughter (13) and son (10) and have two connecting rooms. 

I have come across answers to some of below, but it has been kind of all over the place. 

 

What would seasoned cruisers with this itinerary recommend:

 

What I must do ASAP?

What can I wait to do until we get on the ship?

 

Any pro tips for viewing Glacier Bay sights?

Add on Restaurant Recommendations? 

TIA!!!

[9tee2Sea]

don't forget to take binoculars.

[erisajd]

Get a passport if you don't have one . . . 

 

What type of cabin?  Haven, suite, balcony, steerage?  

[mcmomny]

It will be chilly in Glacier Bay, dress in layers. We had a balcony cabin so viewed the Bay from our cabin, we did go up onto the top deck a few times also

 

Plus be prepared for rain in some ports.

 

Yes binoculars are a huge plus!

 

Make your reservations for dinner before you get on board

 

Figure out your excursions and book before you leave as they might be sold out once you get there!

[jjesq99]

4 hours ago, erisajd said:

Get a passport if you don't have one . . . 

 

What type of cabin?  Haven, suite, balcony, steerage?  

Two balconies; splurges for the scenery based on the reviews I read.  TY! 

[jjesq99]

2 hours ago, mcmomny said:

It will be chilly in Glacier Bay, dress in layers. We had a balcony cabin so viewed the Bay from our cabin, we did go up onto the top deck a few times also

 

Plus be prepared for rain in some ports.

 

Yes binoculars are a huge plus!

 

Make your reservations for dinner before you get on board

 

Figure out your excursions and book before you leave as they might be sold out once you get there!

 

TY!!!

[reeinaz]

Book your excursions. The good ones fill up fast for Alaska. 

[vswan]

Take a cheap rain poncho for each of you. They take almost no room in the suitcase and are pretty good coverage from head to knees. Good way to keep any purse/backpacks covered also. Don't bother to take them home.

 

Two pairs of shoes in case one gets wet - shoes take a while to dry. Comfortable, warm lounging clothes for evenings on deck and on your balcony. Sort through the ports of call section of CC to read about what others have done in the different ports. If there is something you really want to be sure and do, book before you leave. Don't forget to pack a pair of shorts/warm weather clothes. I've had 80 degree heat at some ports in the middle of summer. You never know what you're going to get.

 

 

 

 

[www3traveler]

Will you be in Alaska on the 4th of July?  Alaska became a State on the 4th of July 1959.

[BirdTravels]

On 4/11/2024 at 2:38 PM, jjesq99 said:

Hopefully I'm posting this is in the right place...:)

 

We are on Encore's 7-day Glacier Bay Itinerary r/t from Seattle.  We are a family of 4, daughter (13) and son (10) and have two connecting rooms. 

I have come across answers to some of below, but it has been kind of all over the place. 

 

What would seasoned cruisers with this itinerary recommend:

 

What I must do ASAP?

What can I wait to do until we get on the ship?

 

Any pro tips for viewing Glacier Bay sights?

Add on Restaurant Recommendations? 

TIA!!!

 

Below is my live post from this itinerary last season. Skim through the Freestyle Dailies to see the general schedule for the cruise. Pay particular attention to Glacier Bay day and the timing of when the Rangers will do presentations. 

 

For Glacier Bay day, it is really best to spend the morning on the [very cold] deck. At some point, you will want to go to the bow of the ship just to say you've been there. But, with the high railing, the view is not the best. The Pro Tip is to be up on Deck 17 and move from side to side as the rangers call out glaciers.
 

 

Borrow some winter jackets, hats and gloves for glacier day. Watch the weather. For us, unless we are going to someplace icy, port days can be shorts and t-shirt weather. The silliest are those bundled up in winter jackets leaving the ship on days when the temps are in the 70's... by the end of the day, they are sweating and dragging the jackets down the street of port cities. You are sailing in a rain forest, so it will likely get rain during your travels. 

 

Personally, we spend a lot of time on our balconies each evening watch the ocean and looking for whales, dolphins, and other sea life. It is a magical location to sail! We sail Alaska [almost] every year. Take/borrow some small field/sports binoculars (don't nee big honk'n ones) and play games with the kids with spotting whales (especially once you get near your ports of call).  

 

Restaurants are very subjective. What mom and dad would want may not be the best for DD and DS. Usually you can't go wrong with Cagney's steakhouse.  Reservations opened 120 days prior to departure and some of the popular restaurants at popular times are probably already sold out. If they are, don't fret, on embarkation day, go immediately to The Social, Deck 6 Mid-ship and make your reservations. You can reserve Choir of Man at the Theater Box Office (Deck 7 Forward, Starboard Theater entrance) after that. 

 

On embarkation day, enroll DS in the Splash Academy kids club and DD in Entourage teen club (both on Deck 5). When enrolling DS, sign the waiver that lets him check himself out of the club after being there a couple of hours. And have them attend the first night to make friends.  

 

The link below is to my live post from the Encore last week. This will give you current menus... and not much more. Focus on the Alaska dailies above and look for Alaska-specific presentations. (The Encore passed through the Panama Canal yesterday on her way from Miami to Alaska, so there are not any 2024 Freestyle Dailies yet). 

 

[njhorseman]

10 hours ago, erisajd said:

Get a passport if you don't have one . . . 

Although a passport is always the preferred travel document a US citizen doesn't need a passport for this itinerary. An official birth certificate and government-issued photo ID such as a drivers license will suffice, and the children don't even need a photo ID because they're under age 16.

[shof515]

11 hours ago, erisajd said:

Get a passport if you don't have one . . . 

 

 

you only really really need a passport if you are doing an excursion that goes into Canada like some of the white pass railroads or Yukon trips

[jjesq99]

Great stuff BirdTravels, TY!

[jjesq99]

13 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

 

Below is my live post from this itinerary last season. Skim through the Freestyle Dailies to see the general schedule for the cruise. Pay particular attention to Glacier Bay day and the timing of when the Rangers will do presentations. 

 

For Glacier Bay day, it is really best to spend the morning on the [very cold] deck. At some point, you will want to go to the bow of the ship just to say you've been there. But, with the high railing, the view is not the best. The Pro Tip is to be up on Deck 17 and move from side to side as the rangers call out glaciers.
 

 

Borrow some winter jackets, hats and gloves for glacier day. Watch the weather. For us, unless we are going to someplace icy, port days can be shorts and t-shirt weather. The silliest are those bundled up in winter jackets leaving the ship on days when the temps are in the 70's... by the end of the day, they are sweating and dragging the jackets down the street of port cities. You are sailing in a rain forest, so it will likely get rain during your travels. 

 

Personally, we spend a lot of time on our balconies each evening watch the ocean and looking for whales, dolphins, and other sea life. It is a magical location to sail! We sail Alaska [almost] every year. Take/borrow some small field/sports binoculars (don't nee big honk'n ones) and play games with the kids with spotting whales (especially once you get near your ports of call).  

 

Restaurants are very subjective. What mom and dad would want may not be the best for DD and DS. Usually you can't go wrong with Cagney's steakhouse.  Reservations opened 120 days prior to departure and some of the popular restaurants at popular times are probably already sold out. If they are, don't fret, on embarkation day, go immediately to The Social, Deck 6 Mid-ship and make your reservations. You can reserve Choir of Man at the Theater Box Office (Deck 7 Forward, Starboard Theater entrance) after that. 

 

On embarkation day, enroll DS in the Splash Academy kids club and DD in Entourage teen club (both on Deck 5). When enrolling DS, sign the waiver that lets him check himself out of the club after being there a couple of hours. And have them attend the first night to make friends.  

 

The link below is to my live post from the Encore last week. This will give you current menus... and not much more. Focus on the Alaska dailies above and look for Alaska-specific presentations. (The Encore passed through the Panama Canal yesterday on her way from Miami to Alaska, so there are not any 2024 Freestyle Dailies yet). 

 

 

Do you know when I can book Choir of Man?

How early do you need to get to Beatles or Comedy Club to get seats? 

 

TIA!

Edited April 13 by jjesq99
Thought of more questions :)

[The Traveling Man]

17 hours ago, www3traveler said:

Will you be in Alaska on the 4th of July?  Alaska became a State on the 4th of July 1959.

We were on the Joy in Alaska on 4 July 2019, the 60th anniversary of statehood.  Funny thing - nothing was ever said about the anniversary, there were no celebrations on board and I don't recall anything special going on in any of the ports.  We did have well over 3000 passengers on board who had never sailed with NCL before.  At the other end of the spectrum, there were no Ambassador Latitudes members, there wasn't a Diamond Level then, we were the only two Platinum Plus (as Sapphire was known at the time), there were a few Platinum, enough Gold and Silver to barely justify a small venue for the Latitudes party, and a handful of Bronze.  It was the most newbie cruise I've ever taken.

[The Traveling Man]

15 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

You are sailing in a rain forest, so it will likely get rain during your travels. 

 

Ketchikan brags about being the rainiest place in North American, typically about 150 inches or so per year.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, jjesq99 said:

Do you know when I can book Choir of Man?

How early do you need to get to Beatles or Comedy Club to get seats? 

 

TIA!

 

Choir of Man can be booked on embarkation day in the Theater Box Office (Deck 7, Forward, Starboard Theater entrance). If the system cuts over quickly, you can also book it on the NCL App or the touch screen kiosks in elevator lobbies and the Atrium. 

 

If you go to the theater box office, you can also pick up a menu of all of the entertainment of the week. 

 

Last week, Beatles and Comedy were also in the Theater (if you don't want to wait in line at the Cavern Club or The Social). People were lining up 45-60 minutes before shows in the small venues. We never bothered. We walked into the Cavern Club one night to peek after the show started, but it was too full. 

 

If you go to Wheel of Fortune and buy electronic game cards, the top of the Theater (currently) has better wifi than lower toward the stage. 

[jjesq99]

On 4/12/2024 at 7:12 PM, www3traveler said:

Will you be in Alaska on the 4th of July?  Alaska became a State on the 4th of July 1959.

 

We should be in Glacier Bay on the 4th. Hope there is no issue getting Park Rangers on a Federal holiday.

[erisajd]

On 4/12/2024 at 7:10 PM, shof515 said:

 

you only really really need a passport if you are doing an excursion that goes into Canada like some of the white pass railroads or Yukon trips

yeah - sure - might be technically true but GET A PASSPORT.

[zqvol]

31 minutes ago, erisajd said:

yeah - sure - might be technically true but GET A PASSPORT.

Why? Except for about 6 hours you are in the US. Don’t need it to fly home in an emergency or for any other reason.. (note this is specific to closed loop cruises out of Seattle). 

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, erisajd said:

yeah - sure - might be technically true but GET A PASSPORT.

Unnecessary. Total waste of a lot of money unless you are traveling to somewhere you need it. 

Edited April 14 by BirdTravels

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Unnecessary. Total waste of a lot of money unless you are traveling to somewhere you need it. 

One person's waste of money is another person's ace in the hole.  My wife and I each had careers which sometimes called on us, especially her, to drop what we were doing at work, jet off to a client's office, and take care of business.  That frequently meant overseas travel at the drop  of a hat.  Maintaining a current passport was essential.  We frequently were able to take a few vacation days either before or after the work assignment to travel in foreign countries and receive the benefits of having someone else (our employers) pay for our travel.  Frequently when one of us had a work assignment in a foreign country, the other one of us could tag along.  The "plus one" had to pay for their own airfare and some meals, but the hotel was covered.  We were fortunate to have flexible schedules to permit this.  Sometimes we even booked a last minute cruise after the work assignment.  The cost of a passport works out to just over one dollar per month, so for us, and for maybe many others, the flexibility of having a current passport is well worth its minimal expense.  Naturally, the one time that I did not renew my passport in time to keep it current was the time my wife traveled to Japan on short notice and I wasn't able to join her.  Lesson learned.

[zqvol]

8 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

One person's waste of money is another person's ace in the hole.  My wife and I each had careers which sometimes called on us, especially her, to drop what we were doing at work, jet off to a client's office, and take care of business.  That frequently meant overseas travel at the drop  of a hat.  Maintaining a current passport was essential.  We frequently were able to take a few vacation days either before or after the work assignment to travel in foreign countries and receive the benefits of having someone else (our employers) pay for our travel.  Frequently when one of us had a work assignment in a foreign country, the other one of us could tag along.  The "plus one" had to pay for their own airfare and some meals, but the hotel was covered.  We were fortunate to have flexible schedules to permit this.  Sometimes we even booked a last minute cruise after the work assignment.  The cost of a passport works out to just over one dollar per month, so for us, and for maybe many others, the flexibility of having a current passport is well worth its minimal expense.  Naturally, the one time that I did not renew my passport in time to keep it current was the time my wife traveled to Japan on short notice and I wasn't able to join her.  Lesson learned.

Has nothing to do with a closed loop cruise to AK from Seattle 

[www3traveler]

If you plan to take the train excursion out of Skagway to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada you will need a passport.

 

I had to fly home once from Victoria, British Columbia-- passport required.

 

Yes it is a closed loop cruise but you might just need a passport.

[erisajd]

6 hours ago, zqvol said:

Why? Except for about 6 hours you are in the US. Don’t need it to fly home in an emergency or for any other reason.. (note this is specific to closed loop cruises out of Seattle). 

Why?  Because if you travel anywhere internationally, including Canada on a closed loop cruise leaving the US, you need a passport.  
 

a DL and BC don’t work anymore.  
 

only exception are SENTRI, NEXUS, or if you live in a stat that has an enhanced DL.