Embarking On My FIRST Norwegian Cruise: NCL Encore To Alaska!

[@justanothertra]

Line up about 30 minutes before the show. They will let in some walk-ins to replace no shows.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Good advice!

[@atomicrancher3745]

My experience with reserving specialty dining on NCL has always been super easy. Book a few weeks PRIOR to your sail date and you’ll get pretty much what you like. Be flexible about your dining time and it’s even easier. At 21 days prior to sailing you can do your check-in and book shows online. (Haven guests get to book before that and get first dibs on everything.) Tip….if you’re solo and something says it’s sold out, just go to front of line (ignore the couples who will scowl at you) and tell the staff you’re alone. Very often they can fit in one person for dining or show with no issue. It’s worked for me a number of times. Solos get perks too if you know what to do and aren’t shy.

[@vicki8042]

Been on Encore twice. I agree about their reservation issues. You can book entertainment on those wall computers they have by the elevators. We had no problem getting into Choir of Man for a second time without reservations. We just walked up about show time and they let us in.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Choir of Man was incredible!

[@barbaralazier8352]

Thanks for showing us your room. I am a solo traveller and really we just use the room for sleeping

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

It was amazing for sleeping. So dark!

[@kennywalker4091]

I too was hit with the reservation snag when I first got on board. Then a seasoned passenger straightened it all out for me. People reserve EVERYTHING then cancel half or just not show up. Entertainment doesn't require reservations, just show up. I was able to get same day reservations for the restaurants except Cagney. Fortunately I already had those.
Though it's a mute point, the only folks getting stuck in the water slides are 70 lb kids. The ride operator took one look at me and said I'd have no problems at all. I ride the drop slides 6 times the first day! They're the best! Also if it wasn't already in the room, your room attendant has fake key cards for the electric so you don't have to use your room key.
I REALLY like the style and look of Norwegian and will hopefully sail them again one day. I liked the passengers, the service, and an actual Starbucks where I could use my phone app!😊

[@Steven-er2bt]

Hey Zach, as always, thanks for your great videos and honest observations. We're looking forward to your Norwegian Encore videos!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you so much! I had a great time and can’t wait to share more very soon.

[@duanejohnson5268]

Great video, appreciate it. We are getting on board that ship/cruise to Alaska this coming Sunday. Can't wait to see your videos and then see for ourselves. Enjoy

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Hope you enjoy it! Another new video coming on Wednesday.

[@fiffanj]

We’re going on the Encore to Alaska in October. Looking forward to all your videos of this cruise!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I hope you enjoy. I had a great time and can’t wait to share more!

[@angellamiller12]

My friend & I are sailing this ship to Alaska October 15-22

[@opsonization2]

I am sailing the week after. Most of the excursions are gone tho

[@fiffanj]

Our excursion to Mendenhall glacier was changed to a bus ride to stop on a bridge to see the glacier in the distance. We canceled. Apparently the permits for the glacier park have run out so we can’t get in. Just doing the tram in Juneau during the afternoon and then a salmon bake for dinner in the wild!

[@katrinaassoumou1531]

Thank you so much for taking the time for sharing your voyages with us. Amen

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you for watching!

[@FraserAtSea]

Ok, ‘golf cart’ cracked me up - can you imagine the chaos of golf carts on the roof? Ha!
My first ever cruise was in an NCL Studio on Escape, so you brought back some very fond memories with that room tour - looks excellent!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Haha I made that mistake a couple of times while filming for some reason!

[@barbarap5278]

Hi Zach, have a great time & stay safe & warm...

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you!

[@Powerful_Female]

Zach I enjoyed your video. I hope you have a fabulous trip

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you so much!

[@joannechludzinski1805]

It's beautiful.

[@billmiller1445]

Zach, stay off that dang slide. You could be lost in there for the whole cruise!

[@joeylomelin8424]

I just booked my first cruise ever, and it’s with NCL this November. Your videos/channel have been greatly informative.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Glad to hear that! I have lots more to come from this cruise.

[@TruthandHonesty-of7sv]

Hi Zach. There are kiosks all over the ship where you can make reservations by inserting your keycard. They’re touchscreens. You don’t have to wait in those lines. Sailed NCL 3 times in the past year and haven’t had any issues getting dining reservations.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Hi there. Unfortunately those lines were crazy long as well. It was a mad rush!

[@grannyoffive1313]

I would not like having to make reservations....😞

[@salliestewart4713]

Love your videos

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you!

[@djay1066]

NCL is our cruise line of choice. We thought we were done with them, but took a Princess cruise last November and realizes we like NCL, but the reservation issues are a big downside to that line.
I can’t wait to see the rest of this series as we are doing Alaska next year on NCL

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I had a great time!

[@djay1066]

I just realized that we are doing this exact cruise next May, so I will be watching with interest. Same cruise, same ship!

[@Astrall270]

@@ZachtheTravelingManI am going on this same cruise in a couple of weeks. I don’t know what to expect as it is my first, but I am ready for a lot of line waits.

[@rgruenhaus]

I've stayed in a Studio cabin on the Epic and Breakaway.
The Breakaway Studio lounge didn't have much in the way of fruit and occasionally cake slices. Epic had a good assortment of snacks and at times had a bartender! You had a terrific amount of snacks and fruit on the Encore!

[@tedmaloney2092]

Zach! You are our favorite cruise you-toooober. I’m taking the whole family on a Caribbean Cruise on the Encore Feb 2024. Looking forward to your thoughts! You’re the best.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you so much, Ted. I appreciate that and don’t take that lightly. Glad you enjoy the videos. And you are going to love Encore! I had a great trip and can’t wait to share more.

[@markt9805]

I sailed on the Norwegian encore in March actually the March 26 sailing that returned to Miami on April 2. It was the height of spring break and the ship was packed. I also stayed in a solo cabin on deck 10 and I actually liked it. I will tell you that as soon as I boarded, I didn’t use the app. I went straight to one of the big TV screens and made reservations at least for what I understood I needed to do. I had sailed on NCL prior to that sailing on the encore but Always on smaller vessels like the jade, which doesn’t have as much technology or shows as the encore. We had an amazing, and I mean absolutely amazing solo guide for the solo group. His name was Sandro from Brazil. We had the same issue getting into the comedy shows, but he assisted us and was able to get us seats. I hope you have a great experience on the ship, it’s like any cruise there’s gonna be good things and there’s gonna be things that you’re simply not going to enjoy but overall for me I enjoyed it, and I have to say that the overall experience was positive. Also, I thought the food was fairly good as well. I liked the options in the buffet 24:05 while it was always packed it had a good variety as well. Looking forward to your other videos of this cruise. Have a great time! And go drive a go cart!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I’m glad you had a great time! I ended up really enjoying Encore and my studio Stateroom!

[@beverlybrunker9099]

As someone who normally grabs a solo cabin when traveling with my group I am very impressed with the solo cabin area and lounge!! I hope other lines take notice!
Out of my 8 cruises Norwegian was by far my least favorite but I’m looking forward to watching your videos on them!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I really enjoyed the solo set up. I was really impressed and hope other lines do something similar.

[@rgruenhaus]

The Encore is very nice! I hope to sail on it in the future! Not too interested in Alaska, but I've done the Caribbean enough to want to try elsewhere.
I'll be on the Prima in January 2024 to Western Caribbean and i will stay onboard. I got the Vibe beach pass to have an adult only relax area during the cruise. Would be nice if Syd Norman's had a few times when the band shows were in a bigger venue like the theater. I can't stand up to 2 hours trying to get into the small Syd Norman's bar and then if one does get in you aren't guaranteed a seat!
The Starbucks only pkg does not include their food, just drinks. Any card in the power control works not just the key card. I leave a note for the room attendant to leave the power on as i charge devices while i am away too!

[@pamelanevin7037]

We leave on this cruise in 2 weeks. So excited!

[@paulwrightwa]

Cheers from Seattle!!

[@richsack]

Hey Zach, you should already be aware from other cruise tubers that NCL is a bad ship to see Alaska. Holland America Line is the best when you’re serious about seeing the sights vs. the shows and carnival rides! 😂🤣

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I didn’t taste counsel from other RUclipsrs when making my decision and actually enjoyed seeing Alaska on NCL. A highlight was going to Glacier Bay which many of the other lines can’t do.

[@courtneyberwick9962]

Oh wow I totally disagree. We went to Alaska on one of NCLs older ships the Jewel and it was the trip of a lifetime. I’ve actually never heard complaints about their cruises to Alaska.

[@brendatori1869]

I have had my eye on the Norwegian Encore for a while, mainly for the solo cabins. Ive been poking around RUclips to get familiar with the ship. So thank you for this vlog

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

You're welcome! I really enjoyed the solo cabin and highly recommend it.

[@beccadunlop]

Hey Zach! We're leaving on the same cruise in a few weeks. Your video has us even more excited, thanks for sharing so much about the ship! Can't wait to see more, especially the speciality dinning. Yours is the first we've seen with so much detail about the ship :)

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Hey there! You’re gonna have a great time. I have so much to share about my experience.

[@JoKnowsAdventure]

I LOVE NCL, and will be on this ship June 11-18, (also vlogging) can't wait to see your impressions and video's Zach! Have fun!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I had a great time and know you will too. Thanks for watching!

[@cherylwinkelman1562]

Great video, I'll be solo on the Encore to Alaska next year at this time. Can't wait to see the rest of your adventures.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you! So much more to come.

[@charliedurham4248]

Went on this same exact cruise in September of 2021. Loved the Encore! Loved the cruise!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I have to agree. Great trip!

[@michaelirvin2079]

Hi Zach, have a great time on your Alaska cruise. You are going to love the Encore. If you are doing any specialty dinning try Cagneys Steak house, food is great. I love NCL ships they never disappoint.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you! I have so much to share from this trip. It was a great time.

[@mariakulscar1224]

Zach, I just subscribed to your channel. I loved this video because I was just on the Encore in a Studio cabin on Deck 12 3 weeks ago. I loved it so much I am going back in May 2025! Just a note, it was 87 degrees in Seattle on embarkation day and in the 60-70 degree range in Alaska. The pool was definitely used and I was not prepared for weather like that! It was glorious! Enjoy every minute you are there. I am jealous LOL . Great video BTW. Looking forward to the next one

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you and welcome! You had much warmer weather than we did this cruise. It was chilly and rainy for most of the trip but that was ok. Still a great time.

[@minnesotamiki]

Thanks for sharing Zach! We liked our NCL experience overall but being on such a large ship and having to line up for various reservations was not the way we wanted to start our cruise vacation so we opt for slightly smaller ships (love Celebrity and Princess) and may look at Viking in the future. Happy cruising!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you for watching! I agree that smaller is for me also.

[@jasonalankirk]

Totally agree on the app issues and the difficulty with reservations for dining and entertainment. We were on the Getaway and ran into so many app/internet problems and thought they’d have it fixed by now. We chalked it up to post pandemic, but you’re right, it’s 2023! Ship still is beautiful and hope you continue to have a great AK cruise! P.S. I’m sure you’ve been told about the wings at the pub… if not, check them out!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Oh I absolutely loved those wings. They’ll soon make an appearance in my vlogs haha. Had so many.

[@kennywalker4091]

I was my first NCL May 1st, also in the Getaway, Great ship! I had breakfast almost every morning in O'Sheehan's and had the wings
a few times. And the Fish and Chips. And a burger...

[@justanothertra]

On Sky, you could walk on board and go straight to the wall screen which is a touch screen, insert your key and make reservations. See if Encore has thst also! Also, they take walk ins at the reservations restaurants also, especially around 5 or 5:30.

[@kennywalker4091]

@@justanothertra They had that on the Getaway too, forgot all about it.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

They did have that on Encore as well! There was a huge line for it also and the reservations were basically gone according to the people in line.

[@natashalanni1719]

Super excited for all these firsts Zach! I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts on NCL as I’ve been looking at their Hawaii itinerary with interest 🇦🇺👍

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you! I’m excited to share my experience. I also want to try the Hawaiian cruise one day.

[@TheRedComyn]

I've sailed on NCL three times (twice on Jade). I'm now back to sailing on RCI, with my last and next on Freedom.

[@brunkerj]

I'll be paying attention. We've enjoyed Celebrity in The Retreat. Even if you're not in The Haven, I'd appreciate a few 'peeks' into the areas. Happy sailing!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you! Unfortunately no Haven access for me this trip. They do a great job of keeping that area completely secluded.

[@brunkerj]

@@ZachtheTravelingMan I understand. I'll guess that if you ask the Hotel Manager for a one-time guest access so that your subscribers can get a more complete feel for the ship. Celebrity, NCL, whichever. Sure, they might say no. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Looking forward to more videos!

[@michaelirvin2079]

Zach, I was able to book dining , show , attractions , shore excursions 21 days prior to sailing date. FYI check with any restaurant to see if you can find out if anything opened up.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I was able to make some but things like comedy weren’t available ahead of the sailing. Luckily I was able to get all the dining reservations I wanted.

[@brendaclarke9902]

Thanks for a great vlog and sharing all the important information

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you for watching!

[@perrikennedy8134]

Encore is not my favorite of the NCL Breakaway+ ships because I just can't get over that horrible chandelier & hull art, but it has amazing spaces for scenery gazing. Love the free espresso in the Studio Lounge, too. My next trip to Alaska is on Celebrity Solstice later this season and yes, I took notes while watching your recent series! Note: You must have the Premium Plus Beverage Package to get Starbucks (and bottled water) included. The standard Premium Beverage Package doesn't work there. The Unlimited Starbucks Package is awesome - I can drink sooo much iced green tea.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I really enjoyed getting all the Starbucks I wanted! Had at least one a day and it was quite the treat. You’re going to love Alaska. I was amazed at how beautiful it was and will definitely be going back in the future.

[@tyroneemandien9916]

Hey Zach yay do excited you on ncl in solo cabin. Cannot wait to watch this series in solo cabin. I cruise solo most of the time too and looking at ncl in solo cabin in 2025.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I enjoyed it! Can’t wait to share more.

[@julieyoung4575]

I am doing this cruise in October on Encore. Taking notes on your recommendations, thank you

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@lindajames9640]

Well this is a very timely video. I have been toying with the idea of doing a solo cruise…WAAAAY out of my comfort zone and not sure if I can even do it. I’m super shy and like sharing adventures with others but the idea of doing my own thing is very intriguing. Thank you for this informative vlog. Have fun!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you! I love traveling solo. I was hesitant my first time but now absolutely love it.

[@brunkerj]

My daughter travels this way. She really enjoys it.

[@CountryGuySC]

NICE!! Just got off Celebrity Eclipse Hubbard Glacier cruise….. JUST disembarked and sitting at YVR now…. It was an amazing cruise and I hope you have/had a great time too!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I think we were in Ketchikan the same day! I had a great time exploring Alaska.

[@CountryGuySC]

@@ZachtheTravelingMan yeah I saw the Norwegian ship in dock… too bad I didnt see you wandering the streets in the pouring rain, I would have bought you a drink!

[@slimcourage901]

Alaska is amazing, I'm sure you had a great time. I did the trip on Carnival years ago with my family sailing from Whitter, AK to Vancouver, BC. Thanks for showing off the studio lounge, I've been curious about that for a while. I'd love to hear more about it from a post-cruise perspective. Was it widely used, did you spend a lot of time there, were the other solos sociable, that sort of thing.
"Make it make sense." Well they make the ships so big with so much guest capacity yet don't scale up venue size to match that. So certain amenities that you paid for are made unavailable to you with zero recourse. Thanks for giving me another reason to never book a cruise on a ship this big. Celebrity really hits that capacity sweet spot for me while still being within my budget.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

It was a really big ship and felt like too many people at times! I loved Alaska and can’t wait to go back someday.

[@2005mklein]

I am so glad to see your video. We booked NCL Encore from Seattle to Alaska on May 19, 2024. Do we need to make a reservation for main dining room?
Thank you so much.😍

[@williamcrowell1939]

I’ve been on many NCL cruises and I never make show reservations I do stand by and have seen every show production/comedy/etc no problems

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

That’s good to know!

[@dianawiggins3791]

I’m so excited for your videos. We leave next week. 🎉

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

You’re going to have a great time! Thanks for watching.

[@mickgoldynia9979]

Thanks for the video, Zach. Very informative. We typically cruise on Celebrity, but are always open to trying a new cruise line. Cheers!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you for watching, Mick! Celebrity is still my favorite by a long shot. :)

[@brantthompson199]

We were in between this ship/cruise and Princess for our Alaska cruise in 2 weeks. We went with Princess (first time with them) as we have done 4 previous NCL cruises. Our last with NCL was not good so we have ventured out and tried other lines and have enjoyed our experiences. We will sail NCL again at some point but not sure when. Hope you have a good cruise.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you! I’m excited to try Princess myself later this year.

[@grannyoffive1313]

Hi Zach… Looking very very forward to this series… I've never cruised on Norwegian, and anxious to hear what you think... enjoy your cruise… We have never cruise to Alaska… Maybe someday🚢

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you so much! I highly recommend a cruise to Alaska. It was absolutely beautiful.

[@grannyoffive1313]

@@ZachtheTravelingMan thank you!!

[@DiGeraghty]

I really liked your video. Ill be on NCL Bliss in a solo cabin Spet 30th. If you happen to go to the solo mtgs they NCL organizer usually will plan group dinners and get a group into the shows. I went to the ntgs on the Joy and made some great friends but I had a regular inside cabin. I wish my cruise was sooner.
btw, Choir of Man is awesome. Hope you can get a chance to see them. Get in the stand by line and you should be able to get in.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thank you so much! I had a fantastic time. Got to see Choir of Man and it was one of the best shows I’ve seen.

[@SuperGoatTV]

I hate cruise lines that force you to make reservations for everything! I love Carnival's first come first served policy. I've never missed a show I wanted to watch because of it.

[@bethbatt2081]

Feeling so (retroactively) spoiled in that I cruised solo on the Encore for the last 2022 Alaska sailing and the ship was only half full. On the verge of trying a longer cruise on a smaller ship this fall, but back to Alaska again (since I live in Seattle and it's so easy to take.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Half full must have been nice! We were completely full on this one.

[@ranellmueller2972]

I hoped you liked Seattle! I'm from there but haven't been home in seven years. We're moving closer to Washington in one month so we'll be able to drive to Seattle and I know we'll be booking cruises to Alaska and Hawaii...may try Norwegian! Thanks, Zach, looking forward to your videos!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Thanks, Ranell! I love Seattle. It’s one of my favorite North American cities for sure. It was a very nice port to set sail from. Was cool to be able to walk to my ship from the hotel.

[@bexlo9794]

@@ZachtheTravelingMan we are sailing on Encore in July from Seattle. Any hotel recommendations?

[@user-hd4lb8ve8m]

Hey Zach hurry up with the review on the restaurant. I got a cruse on NCL encore June 18.

[@hallsongolf]

Show reservations, we got on the wait list and got into each show, I think 10 minutes before show time they start letting in wait list people

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

They told me no wait list, I specifically asked about this. I guess because of the number of passengers on this cruise. They only did a standby line.

[@brentkeetch6312]

Great channel Zack. What time of year was your Alaska cruise on the Encore?

[@ducheau100]

have fun! I liked the food on NCL better than Celebrity and RCL. I saw celebrity had some cheap cruises to alaska this year. Very tempting but I don't like colder weather for cruising.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I was surprised with how good the food ended up being!

[@pamelabrauer9450]

@@ZachtheTravelingMan Better than Celebrity? Because I really enjoyed watching this video because it reinforced my feelings about being a Celebrity cruiser. I am glad I am one of those people. NCL does not appear to be the line for me. Just my opinion of course. I know many people love NCL.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Definitely not better than Celebrity!

[@howardosden3112]

I've decided we're not doing these big ships where you have to have reservations for shows. That's just ridiculous. Specialty dining of course, then it used to be only teppanyaki that might sell out. These space limitations suck!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

That’s certainly the downside to the big ships. To make things worse, NCL didn’t seem to be able to handle the large crowds.

[@Beachdudeca]

A great thing about #NCL is that they are designed to highlight Ocean Viewing

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Yes! Several great places to observe the scenery.

[@EnjoyingLifeMelanie]

Only experience I have on Norwegian is that they just canceled our 2024 cruise in Hawaii aboard the Spirit. Apparently all the earlier 2024 Alaska cruises aboard the Spirit are also canceled. No reasons given. Not a good first experience.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Ugh, so sorry to hear that!

[@jdb316]

Thank you for putting this together. How well utilized was the solo studio?

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Very well! I ended up really enjoying it and think it’s some of the best utilized space on the ship.

[@jdb316]

@@ZachtheTravelingMan I’m sorry, I meant to ask if the solo LOUNGE was well utilized. Were there a lot of people there?

[@EvanPettrey]

Hey Zach - based on your experience, I asked in a Facebook group about how to avoid the issues you faced with reservations and people acted like that shouldn't happen because you can book dinners 120 days in advance and shows 21 days in advance via the app... Did you try to do that?
I'm just trying to figure out how to ensure this doesn't happen to us on the Encore in July.

[@destinationdebrief]

Hey, Zach! That go-kart track looked cool as heck. My wife and I are planning an Alaskan Cruise in 2025 and I was curious if there was anything specific that made you choose Norwegian over any of the other cruise lines? I’m a planner and will be starting to research options in the coming months. Thanks so much!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I had never sailed with them before and just wanted to see what it was like. Thanks for watching!

[@JeffreyInPS]

Nice video. My only critique is the background music is very loud then your commentary is quiet. I had to consistently increase and decrease the volume for a more comfortable viewing. I was bummed to find out that specialty coffees are not included in the unlimited drink package. You have to get the Premium Plus package to get a cappuccino. NCL is famous for all the extra costs.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Sorry about that! Likely a slight oversight in my editing. And yeah I heard from many folks this week unhappy with all the extra costs.

[@itsfreewillly5062]

What month was your cruise? We are planning late April to early May, but we don’t know if that time is great.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Late May into early June.

[@darrellq6954]

Your arrival time was 9:30am.....How long was it before you actually stepped on board? Looks like they herded you like cattle....

[@michaelhenry5573]

So, they still haven't fixed the app :(

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Oh no! It was terrible.

[@rafaelrobles3884]

Great Videos i have a question is that platform deck open to public or just guests boarding the ship that day? I cant wait i sail away on august and this is my first on Ncl too.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

It’s for anyone!

[@jordanrobles6868]

Hey, this video was super helpful! Do they have free Wi-Fi in common spaces? Or just the packages available?

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

The only “free” WiFi is being able to use their mobile app. Otherwise you have to pay.

[@jordanrobles6868]

Thanks!

[@barnee27]

So I was wondering if you were on the same sailing as me until I saw my wife and I sitting across the atrium from you at the Local.
It was our first time sailing with Norwegian and second time sailing to Alaska. We sailed aboard the Celebrity Millennium last July and fell in love with the place but had to book this sailing to work with our dates after not getting my passport renewal back until a few weeks before the sail date. Very interested to hear your overall thoughts on this cruise.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

How cool! Hope you both enjoyed the cruise. I will have my full review out this coming Sunday. I have lots of thoughts on my first Norwegian cruise haha. I’ve been on many Celebrity cruises - love them!

[@barnee27]

@@ZachtheTravelingMan everyone has to have a worst cruise on their list and for us I think this may have been it, but it wasn’t bad. We loved the freestyle dining model, especially for Alaska where we value flexibility to enjoy time in port as much as possible. We also thought the ship was really nice, the food quality in the dining rooms was pretty good for the most part, and we enjoyed the smaller venues like the Cavern Club and the Brew House with live music at night. We don’t care for some design decisions like dedicating so much real estate to the go-carts and laser tag and then having such a tiny pool and so few hot tubs for a ship that size. What most bothered us though was the times when the ship did feel crowded, getting off in ports. Juneau was pretty rough with a line that backed up to the casino for us, a deck above the actual gangway. And mostly we didn’t like the dock locations that NCL has. It made every port a little more inconvenient than just docking downtown, especially in Ketchikan where even the bus into town doesn’t really drop you off right in the middle of the action. I want to try a smaller NCL ship for a Caribbean sailing but for docking locations alone I don’t think I’ll consider them for Alaska again. And it only made me wonder if we’re not really into big ships as much as we thought we might be.
Oh and your issue with the app was valid. We kept getting logged out at bad times and it was a pain. The TVs also took forever to load and start playing sometimes. We did use those screens out by the elevators to book entertainment though and they worked well.
What is your favorite Celebrity ship you’ve been on so far? We loved Millennium even though it’s their oldest and are eager to try Celebrity again.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I agree with the points you’ve made. I don’t think I’d sail NCL to Alaska again for the very reasons you stated. And I think a smaller ship would be better for Alaska overall. Not as much crowding and lines in ports where you only have a few hours.
Celebrity Apex is my favorite ship currently sailing. I’ve been on her twice now, most recently to Israel last October, and love that ship. Highly recommend you try an Edge series ship.

[@anthonycelano165]

Dude no way

[@HaakonHestness]

Hope your food is actually warm when it is supposed to be. Just got back off a Bliss cruise and the food was TERRIBLE.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Sorry to hear this!

[@theneverendinghighway]

I love NCL and they are probably my favorite cruise line, but their internet is absolutely terrible. I've got the unlimited streaming before on a few different ships and it is always the same. I refuse to buy internet on NCL now just because of how terrible it is. But, I don't make youtube videos or have to work from my cruise so that's probably an easier decision for me to make.

[@scottlowery6445]

Seen any whales yet?

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I saw several! Including some orcas.

[@orcaalley2170]

Better to see whales in the wild natural habitat, don’t but a ticket to Sea World abusive whale jail.

[@TheThisisliving]

We paid NCL $500 for insurance in case anything happen to our trip. We were at the NZ airport when the weather went bad. 14 inches of rain fell that day. The airport was closed. We had to spend the night in the airport because they wouldn't let anybody leave. The next day we were threatened with jail time by the airport if we didn't leave so we left. NZ air offered no help. We arranged a hotel for two day hoping we would get help by any of the parties involved with no luck. We ended up staying for 5 day thinking we would be covered by the insurance that we purchased through NCL. The extra 5 days cost us $3k + $1400 to purchase new tickets through NZ air. We ended up with a $500 per person compensation for $1000 total and nothing from NZ air. Do NOT sail NCL. They hold no responsibility for anything that may go wrong and LIE about any kind of service they may have to provide. In the end it cost us $3400 for something that was not our fault. DON'T buy insurance it's a SCAM. Corporate Slobs.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Ugh I am so sorry to hear this! This was for sure negligent on their part. Noted.

[@michaelsword9213]

Umm…the shower and sink is in the same room as the bed??? That’s different. I know it’s solo, but not sure how I feel about that. Royal’s are small but the bathrooms are basically normal.

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

It is a big strange at first but I ended up really enjoying it. Probably some of the best utilized space on the whole ship.

[@michaelsword9213]

@@ZachtheTravelingMan cool! I’d still book it… especially to Alaska! Encore looks great!!! I just booked a solo balcony on Anthem of the Seas for next September to France and Spain. Can’t wait! Last I looked there were still a few left…hint hint. 😉

[@pileofstuff]

Ha!
Busted as a youtuber in less than 5 minutes!

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

Haha they got me!

[@jervettaburns9374]

Dumb question but do Vloggers get early access?

[@ZachtheTravelingMan]

I do not. I don’t accept any special treatment from the cruise lines as I like to give honest opinions and detail the experience as it would happen for anyone.

[@butalina]

LOL...My tip...why cruise with NCL when you can cruise with Celebrity....LOL...