On NCL now and just pulled out of Ketchican. I flagged down a taxi near the main street and asked him about seeing wildlife. Nice young man was the driver, said he'd grown up in the area. $100 for an hour tour and delivered us back to NCL Ward cove. Glad to skip the line and bus ride back. He had us stop and get out at a number of scenic locations. Money well spent.
I was born and raised in Ketchikan and my dad is a cruise ship captain in SE Alaska!! Thank you for taking the shuttle to town and supporting our locally owned businesses!!
I've been on NCL a number of times (4) and have had no problems with them; but on my last trip to Alaska last year on the Bliss, we docked at Ward Cove, and that was the worst part of the trip. It was chaos getting to and from because you just don't have a lot of time in Ketchikan. The cue to get on the bus at Ward Cove was way too long with 4k people trying to get to town, and getting back was just as bad. I plan on going back to Alaska again, but if I'm NCL, I'll just stay on the boat at Ward Cove. Otherwise I'll go on HAL or another line that docks downtown. But I've enjoyed your videos. Thanks for the tour!
Just back from Alaskan Cruise on the Brilliance of the Seas, Royal Carribean - no issues at all with Meals, docking, getting on/off ship - docked in great places at all ports, Shuttles if needed ran smoothly - never an issue with restuarants included in cruise - defineately go with them again. A smaller and older ship but no complaints - had an amazing time - well organised and run
The itineraries I have looked at specify whether they are docking at Ward Cove or Ketchikan. And for the record, Ketchikan is actually a year 'round community. Most of the residents avoid the areas that are overrun by cruisers during the day, so the cruisers may only see the carpet bagger army that runs the cheesy gift shops, but there are 12,000+ people who live there all year. It is actually a pleasant visit during the off season, there are regular flights to Seattle and Juneau and ferry service up and down the coast.
We did! We were meant to go to Glacier Bay and Skagway… but NCL changed our itinerary! And due to our flights and the kids’ school exams we couldn’t move to another cruise. Thanks for watching!
That is a point that is not brought up - time in port. The cheaper NCL and Celebrity crises have port stops of 6-9 hours. Where as many of the HAL and Princess cruises have 10-13 hours stop .
We just got back from 7 days on the Disney Wonder & it was amazing! We docked right in front of the outlet store in Ketchikan & had about a 4min walk from the boat to the Lumberjack show. Even though we decided not to go to it, as we had things booked on all our other port days, you could hear the roar from the crowd & it sounded like people loved it. I'm so sorry for your experience, but I bet you've helped a lot of other people make informed decisions about who they choose to cruise with, so thank you!
Be aware, that on these busy ship days, there are only dozen or so cabs running in Ketchikan. No where near enough to pick up everyone needing to get to NCL dock at Ward Cove!
Thank you SO MUCH for this "reality" video, these are the kinds of videos I really need to plan my trip, not some glossed-over versions of Tubers who are getting paid/free cruises by painting a perfect picture. I was sketchy on going to Ward Cove because I wanted more time to see Ketchikan, so I guess it will be Princess or HAL now.
HAL is my choice through Alaska cruising. Great berths, skip the waterfront street full of gimcracks, head for Native goods outlets, enjoy the local eats at a local restaurant. Ketchikan = Lumberjack show! Walk to it off the ship.
Princess and HAL are the best to see Alaska! They have been cruising Alaska the longest, have history in Alaska, and have the most sailings in Glacier Bay, which is not to be missed. I believe the only lines with authorization to enter Glacier Bay, in addition to these two, are Cunard, Seabourn, Viking, and NCL. Lois
I’ve been on two Alaska cruises, both with HAL. Loved Ketchikan, and we docked right next to town. We were there all day. We did 8 different cruises with Holland America, and never had any bad experiences. Never would cruise with anyone else.
And the REASON you have "never had any bad experiences," is because the locals (me) drive like snails to keep you safe while you are wandering around without even noticing anything but the shops (Are you detecting some disdain? Wonder why?). For my own part, I would just never cruise; the Ferry, AMH, is good, though.
@@DanMortensontourism helps your town. I live in Sonoma County, CA(wine country) One needs to have patience for non-locals😉, as they keep $$ flowing in our community 😀We’ll be in Ketchikan in September of next year. We’ll try to be aware✌️
Had the same experience on the Bliss in April of this year. Have taken 4 Alaskan cruises through Ketchikan and in the future will avoid those that dock at Ward cove. At least the line for the shuttle seems to have improved. In April the line stretched back to the bridge you were crossing at 12:00 in the video.
@@TravellingWithTeens we've had good experiences in the past with NCL, Royal Carribean, and Holland America, on those trips we docked directly in town and it was a much better experience...more time in port and less waiting in line or for shuttles. The dining problems you mentioned were a real issue for us throughout the cruise..not just at reboarding from Ketchikan.
Not sure how many people we met were seasonal workers (as opposed to long-termers like you!) but we found you all super friendly! Thanks for having us!!!
It’s not the citizens of Ketchikan it’s the cruise ship. They really don’t give people enough time to visit the area, especially if they have to be shuttled somewhere else. I also don’t like the fact that five cruise ships pull up to one port all at once. That’s way too many peoplein such small towns
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Hiya from Eagle River AK. We will be taking the AK Marine Highway ferry from Haines to Bellingham. Bit different from your cruise but we are looking forward to stopping in Ketchikan. Thanks for showing us around :)
Great informative video! I'm booked for next year on Encore and did not know about wards cove. I've checked the schedule for wards cove and it just so happens ship Joy will also be docked on the same day arghh! So that'll be about 7000-8000 passengers getting on the shuttle buses to town.
Sorry you had such a poor experience getting back on the ship, but I really appreciate seeing things like this! Ketchikan looks lovely though, great video ☺️
Our first trip to Alaska was in 2010 on Princess. My sister forgot to bring a jacket with her. Turned out to be a good thing. We still wear our jackets from that trip. In 2019 we went back to Alaska on HAL, bought new jackets. I still wear mine from our first trip. We'll be going next year on Princess again. New jackets, good prices and they last.
We REALLY liked the jackets, they looked great! Coming from the UK though, our winter wardrobes are overflowing. Thanks for your great story and for watching!
Thank you for your documentation! I used your advice in every port but missed this one. We were on the Bliss two weeks ago (mid-June) I agree, not enough time in Ketchikan, and it was SOOOO BUSY! I think 5 ships were in port. We took an excursion back to the ship from Ketchikan to Ward's Cove. After watching this, it was worth the money. We had the same issue with the congestion in the cafeteria's as you did.
I had a similar shuttle issue on the week of 5/11. Got in line at 11:15 to catch the shuttle, took more than an hour. Couldn’t find food when I got back.
It’s not good enough, is it?! We were the first cruise of the year, so we really hoped they’d sorted things by May… obviously not! Sorry to hear your story, hope you had a great cruise regardless
This was my first cruise ever, I was disappointed in the amount of time in port and long lines and wait to get on shuttle . I actually saw myself on your video 😅. That day we went to America Cafe and had a wait cold wait but food was good. I agree more restaurants should be open on short days at Port.
We have cruised a lot with Norwegian (small & large ships) and have never seen anything like this before, please don’t let it put you off trying NCL again. The Lumber Jack show looked great fun and the town itself looked interesting to wander around.
That’s good to hear. We liked so many things about Norwegian and this was just disappointing. I’m hoping it was partly due to it being the first week of the season and therefore teething problems
I was on the Westerdam relocation b2b from Japan 6 weeks ago. There were 4 cruise ships in the harbor and Ketchican was a zoo. But I've been there before and enjoyed it.
We were also part of that mess, too. We were lucky since we’d done the Crab Feast, so we were not needing lunch. There just wasn’t enough time in Ketchikan.
So glad to hear from someone who understands! There was just something not quite right about it from an organisational side. Hope you enjoyed your Crab Feast and your cruise, thank you for watching!!!
We were on the Bliss and 1st Alaska cruise of the season in 2023. Amazing trip! I think it was NCL's first yr docking at Ward cove instead of Ketchikan itself, and that was an epic disappointment. The shuttles took ages to arrive to take us into town, and we really only had an hour in town before we had to queue up for the shuttle BACK to the ship! Very frustrating.
Part of the problem with the buffet is campers. Some people will eat and eat and eat then just stay there playing on their phones or visiting. I just got off the Encore this morning, and saw this type of behavior many times. Of course, those cruisers are on vacation, and the staff will not ask them to give up their table so someone else can sit. Sometimes it's best to grab some food, put an empty plate over it to cover, and go to another location, like your cabin, to eat it.
We tend to avoid busy times, apart from this once, so normally don’t have a problem with this. We don’t think it helps that on cold weather cruises, everyone piles indoors and nobody wants to sit outside despite the heaters in the ceiling. Thanks for watching!
We took this same cruise 2 weeks ago. Had Absolutely no problems eating when returning from the bus to Ketchikan. Remember, you are on a ship with 4000 people!!! As for NCL not giving you enough time in a port to do everything you want to, maybe choose another cruise with a different itinerary.
We did choose another itinerary ( NCL changed this itinerary on us, and we couldn’t move our cruise due to flights and the kids’ schools). Glad you had a better experience, many thanks for watching
Especially in Alaska, I'd use any other line besides NCL because of Ketchikan. Wards Cove was a bad idea, but ut probably saved NCL money in the long run over docking downtown.
I watched your video, and it brought back both good and bad memories. Our very first cruise was from Seattle to Alaska on the Celebrity Solstice in August 2016. Our very first port was Ketchikan. Like you. we did not have an excustion, but just wanted to explore the town..We did a Duck Boat tour and it was both informativie and fun. Our driver pointed out some shops and restaurants that were run by locals, and were highly recommended. We were very happy with everything we did and saw, and have wonderful memories of Ketchikan. Also, we thoroughly enjoyed Celebrity and everything about our cruise. We have taken several more cruises over the years, and never experienced any "chaos" like you did, unntil..... In January 2023, we booked a Panama Canal cruise on NCL, on the Norwegian Bliss, and our chaos experience began at LAX, when NCL did not have enough buses or trucks to pick up passengers and luggage for the passengers that they booked our flights. We waited in line for about 3 hours before heading out to the terminal where more chaos awaited us. When we got there, we found thousands waiting in line. Supposedly, we had "priority" boarding and a scheduled time, but it didn't matter. Everryone was in the same chaotic line. When we got to the check-in station, they could not find our room keys. So, they sent us to board with a note to make the keys at the boarding. It was difficult to get thru security, then when we boarded, we had to wait more that 1/2 hour to get our room keys. Of course, we were not alone. We got to wait and discuss our frustration with about 20 other passengers. We were on a 15 day cruise from LA to Miami through the Panama Canal. Going through the Canal was a wonderful experience.. We had several other chaotic experiences, that I will not discuss. There were several things that we liked, especially the shows like Six and Jersey Boys, and the other entertainment. Mostly, the food and service in Savor and Taste and the Main Dining Room were very good. The Observation Lounge was wonderful. We especially enjoyed Antigua in Guatemala, and Cartegena. Then, when we got to Miami, unbelieveably more Chaos awaited us, in NCL's brand new beautiful multi-million dollar terminal. It took hours of waiting in the theater, then in line to exit the Bliss, and even more lines to get through customs. Like, they didn't know how many people they had to process out. Our Miami tour, then run to the airport was cut short as we departed 2-3 hours late. I firmly believe the the "C" in NCL definitely stands for "chaos". We will take another NCL cruise. We did another 15 day cruise earlier this year on Holland American from Sydney around New Zealand to Aucklund. What a wonderful experience. Embarcation Day was a breeze. From when we exited our taxi, we were on board the ship in less than 15 minutes. Leaving the ship in Aucklund was just as easy. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience so much, our next cruise next month to Norway, Iceland, and Scotland are also on Holland America. If I were you, I would reconsider your NCL plans. Good luck!
@@TravellingWithTeensI'm loyal guest with NCL for decades. In November 2023 cruising with Bliss from LA there were 45 minutes to wait in line, not for boarding process, but for passing through security. Boarding process itself took just 10 minutes (late boarding). Cruise in December 2023 from San Diego back home to Moorea with Spirit 10 minutes security line and 5 minutes !! boarding time (again late boarding). In my experience for boarding process best option with less or nearly none waiting time is either early bird or late boarding. From my experience regarding "rush hour" food situation on board, when all guests coming back from port to ship is all the same with major cruise lines. I experienced this also on cruises with Summit (Celebrity Cruises). So generally, to avoid this "rush hour" with food, I take something to drink or grab a coffee, find a quiet place (for example Waterfront deck 8 on Bliss is perfect), relax and enjoy sail away. So, mostly one hour later food situation is getting normal, doesn't matter which cruise line, either with NCL or any other.
@monikaliebold4225 we agree, and we appreciate it’s busy when everyone gets back on, but after 25 years of crushing both as crew and as passengers, this was next-level chaos. NCL should know people’s dining patterns based on experience. It was as if the crew were shocked and didn’t know what to do with the mad rush, so they just shrugged and said ‘it is what it is’. Not good enough on that day, in our opinion… but we appreciate your POV completely! Thanks for watching!
So, I took the same cruise as you last year. We did not have the same issue with food as you did, but I was very unhappy with where NCL docks in Ketchikan or Juneau. Ketchikan is my favorite port (it was our 3rd trip) and because of the distance from the port and the amount of people on the ship having to be shuttled, we had very little time in town. I was not happy. Needless to say, I will never cruise on NCL to Alaska again. We have an Alaska Cruisetour booked for next June, but this time on Royal Caribbean. I should have stayed loyal to Royal!
How interesting! We’re about to do our first RCCL cruise in the summer (the Med) and are really looking forward to it. Thank you for your perspective, it was our first time in Alaska (and NCL) and we didn’t know what was normal what was not. Thank you for watching!
We just got back last week, from an NCL Alaskan cruise, and I totally agree with you, where NCL docks is terrible, we did the Saxman village tour which I didn’t care for, and the lumberjack show which was great, but because of where NCL was docked we didn’t have anytime in Ketchikan, and will not take NCL again if we ever go back to Alaska
I visited Ketchikan in 2017 on the Norwegian Sun (much smaller ship) and we docked in Ketchikan. I took a flightseeing trip into Misty Fjords and we flew directly over the ship!
We just went beginning of may with Celebrity and everything was amazing! We had a sunny warm day in Ketchikan and went kayaking, absolutely beautiful! Took an NCL last year and never again, terrible food.
There were a couple things that we would class at ‘terrible’ (but then, why on earth did I grab the Green Tea Cheesecake?!) - but on the whole the food was ok. Thing is, on a cruise, you want better than ‘ok’. At least we do
We were on the Oceania Regatta at the same time as your cruise. The dining problem existed on a small ship too! Everyone seems to eat at the same time, and there is not enough seating. We sat outside as well, which is not great in colder weather. I believe cruises to warmer climates will not have such a major dining/seating problem. Alaska beauty makes these problems seem small!
You’re right! The beauty was the reason we went, not the food. We just hit two consecutive problems with NCL (after many others in the previous days) and felt a little fed up with the organisation of the line. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this video. My mother and I are cruising Sept. 8 on the Encore. I booked the Totem Bight tour but I am now rethinking the whole thing. Ketchikan looks beautiful and I would personally love to go and walk around but my mom has a scooter/walker/cane for various places so this definitely looks like a no go for her. I do not think our 10:45 tour will enable us enough time to get back even though I booked it thru NCL. I’m just really nervous about her mobility issues. Would you recommend shopping at Ward Cove and heading back in for lunch before the crowd?
Firstly, if you booked it through the cruise line, the ship will always wait for you. ALWAYS. The accessibility is another issue, one you should contact NCL directly about. They were VERY good at helping people with mobility needs on/off the ship, so I’m sure they will do everything they can to address your concerns. To answer your last question, Ward Cove is great for shopping and would take very little time, plus the scenery is grand, so we’re sure you’d have a great time. Thanks for watching!
@@TravellingWithTeens thanks for the reply. The nightmare scenario of the family that NCL left behind has me rethinking everything. Thats just my personality. 😊
I have been enjoying your videos because I will be on the same cruise next April on the Bliss. First cruise of the season but it is 10 days. The ship arrives in Ketchikan at 7AM but departs at 6PM so I'm guessing this is longer than your stay? The shortest seems to be Juneau, arrives at 7A departs a 2PM. But Victoria arrives at 11:30 and departs at 7:30PM. But I am anticipating rain, snow, fog and knowing it is VERY early in the season that many attractions that are popular will not be operating. Thanks to your video, I will be anticipating somewhat rough seas that first night which seems to be normal. Thank you for your videos and insights! This makes me very excited for my trip next year!
I saw another video saying NCL cannot manage its crowds. There was chaos as well. I was considering trying NCL for my 2nd cruise, but seeing how far they dock at the ports and not able to manage crowds, I don't want to book with them. My first cruise was to Alaska with another cruise line, and I had a wonderful time! I want to go to Alaska again so I can do things I didn't get to do the first time. BTW, I hope things go better on your next NCL cruise!
I was there in September 2022 and love Ketchikan. Used to work on Princess ships and always loved Alaska. We used to do 19 or 20 cruises per season and once I was there for the entirety. Last time I nearly had a heart attack when I ordered a Flat White coffee and it was over USD 7.00. It wasn't even that great either.
Prices in all the cruise ports have really gone up, haven’t they? We cruised the Greek islands last year and the prices had skyrocketed from what we were used to!
NCL docks at Ward Cove quite a ways from town. Lines for bus to Ketchikan was 25 minutes long. Return line was just as long. With 4.5 hours in port it is definitely not worth going into town. Just go to the Mill and get some t-shirts & magnets. Very touristy location. Will not bother to disembark ship next time.
We’re sailing to Alaska the 1st week of September. On the Celebrity Edge. We have been on many Celebrity cruises and never had any issues. Hopefully all will go well. We sailed several years ago on NCL Epic and had the same crowd problems. We’re trying NCL next year for our Canada New England cruise. Our travel agent said it’s a small ship. NCL Gem, so she doesn’t think we will have the same problems as the experience on the Epic. I really wanted to do Celebrity CL for Canada New England but it’s 12 Nights & 12 Nights is too long for my husband.
Oh really! That’s interesting. From our perspective, they’ve got one shot to redeem themselves (we’re on the Prima over Christmas and New Year). We’ll let you know!
I cruised NCL in 1999. I found their excursions were not what was described in their brochures. I felt they were misrepresenting what was actually offered by the vendors. This was pre-internet (widespread use at least) so I wrote them a letter when I got home. No response at all. I’ve never sailed them again. I’m sure they are suffering from the loss of my business. 😂 As a side note my daughter lives in Ketchikan so we are very familiar. I would not cruise any line that docks in Ward Cove. It’s way too far from the town. Too much time in transit.
@SDanson-jt3zl Thank you for your comments. Their customer service does seem a little lacking, even now. How wonderful that your daughter lives in Ketchikan, such a beautiful place. Thanks for watching!
I just got off the Prima a couple weeks ago. It was fine for us. But I also don't wait until the very last moment to get back on the ship, so my experience is very different. From your video and the news stuff about the family left behind by the shuttles, it sounds like Ketchikan and Ward Cove are just highly problematic. Ketchikan is such a great place that everyone probably tried to get the maximum time here, which is nice until all 4000 passengers try to get back all at once and then eat.
That’s great about the Prima. And you’re right about Ketchikan being great and everyone wanting to explore. Our main problem is not lack of coaches, it is lack of time in port. Which was shortened drastically from when we originally booked it. NCL can keep saving money by docking for less time, but they run the risk of losing repeat customers like us!
@@TravellingWithTeens Yeah. I mainly do NCL because of how they handle my food allergies and special needs and I've become accustomed to their quirky systems. But with them doing Ward Cove, if I take another inner passage cruise, I would probably spend extra to book private transportation in Ketchikan or go with a different line for that itinerary.
I have been on eight cruises with seven different lines. NCL was absolutely the worst. Indifferent service, constant crowds at ALL food locations, tiny entertainment venues, and constant chaos and disorder. I am booked for two cruises in Alaska this September - - seven days on Celebrity and fourteen days on Holland America. I have had only great experiences on both. And BOTH cruises were priced at $55-80 per night. My DW says that she would go on Costa again before another NCL cruise..
We are huge Celebrity fans, agree the prices are pretty reasonable… I think sometimes less than we pay for NCL! Haven’t tried HAL yet, it’s on the list. We’ll give the Prima a try at Christmas, but if that doesn’t go well it’ll be our last NCL cruise, ever. Thanks for watching!
You asked if this was normal for NCL. It very much is on their larger ships. I try to stick their smaller 2400 passenger ships. Added benift is that the smaller ships can dock closer to town. I have been on the Bliiss before and didn't like the crowds whatsoever. The Food Republic you tried to go to is the silver lining of the ship. Fantastic Food
That’s good to know. We do prefer slightly smaller ships, our favourite so far being the Celebrity Constellation. We booked the Prima for Christmas/NYE as it fits our dates, and ticks off sailing out of NYC on our Bucket List… we feel a bit more prepared for NCL this time, and aren’t so focused on the ports, so hopefully it will be more relaxing
We travelled on NCL to Ketchikan on its inaugural Alaskan Season and at that time they docked in town. It is unfortunate that they are now in Wards Cove. It is unfortunate that you had a difficult time getting back on ship in a timely manner and getting some food. It sounds like everyone decided to go back onto the ship at the same time and eat at the same time. Just like rush hour traffic, one can only go so fast when everyone else decides to do the same thing at the same time. I hope your Christmas cruise is a better experience.
We sailed NCL earlier this year for first and what will be our last with them. Many of the same issues you had. Just too many people and no organization. 3 hours in line to board and continued downhill from there. I hope you canceled you next cruise with them.
Funny enough, we did! Decided it was too much money to spend on a cruise after they changed the itinerary (again - this happened in Alaska too) and we couldn’t face the possible stress when we just wanted to relax. Sorry to hear you also had a less than positive experience
We got off very early and went straight onto a shuttle bus. The whole thing took maybe 20 minutes. You should be fine, but if your tour could pick you up at Ward Cove it would be even better
Thank you for the warning. I will pay attention to time big time when we are docked there. Not sure if I should use surprised or sad face here. Going to see if other modes of transportation are available there just in case.
New sub here from Arizona. Our upcoming trips are: A Princess cruise in Oct out of NY to cruise New England and Canada to hopefully see the fall colors. Then Christmas Eve fly to London for a week. Really enjoyed your video and look forward to seeing more!
Thanks so much, you’ve got some great trips booked there! Thanks for watching and especially for subscribing! We won’t let you down with our future content, we promise!
We were on he Bliss a few weeks later, but were in The Haven. We had some business at home to take care of first thing that morning that delayed us disembarking early. By the time we disembarked the line to get to town was extremely long and we would’ve only had a coupe of hours before coming back. I was terribly disappointed. We made the best of it and walked around and did some shopping in The Mill, then decided to order crab from the little truck outside The Mill…best decision of the cruise! It was so good, the view of the ship docked in front of us and a relaxing few hours made for a great plan B. Plus, we weren’t hungry when we got back on the ship. Just sharing so your other viewers have an idea of what to do if they end up in our predicament. 😊
We really liked the look of The Mill and the food truck sounds amazing! Sometimes the simplest things to do ended up being the most enjoyable. Glad you had a good time and very useful info for other cruisers. Thanks so much!
In Ketchikan early May 2024. Loved it even with the ubiquitous liquid sun. Nice people, quaint historic town. 'Touristy' of course. Don't miss the saloon and have a Duck Fart.
Just went to Alaska on NCL’s Encore. After reading about the family that got left behind in Ketchikan I wasn’t about to get off the ship for four hours and take a shuttle bus into town. I agree with many other commenters, take a different ship if you want to enjoy the ports. I didn’t get off in Canada either. Was not my bucket list trip after all.
I was on the NCL Encore last October. It took us over an hour waiting in line to get on a bus to get into Ketchikan. The worse disembarkation for a port I ever experienced. Wouldn’t go back again.
On NCL that is. They can’t handle the large amount of passengers. Closed dining rooms and expected everyone to eat at the Local and had a portion of that closed off putting in new floors during a time when everyone was coming back to the ship hungry! NCL won’t get my business again.
There’s just a serious logistics issue on NCL that needs addressing. It feels like passengers don’t matter! We appreciate you watching, and it’s nice to hear from someone who feels the same!
I was on that ship in October too. Such disorganization! Took forever to get downtown and back. Only The Local was open to eat for the entire ship! NCL has difficulty managing their ships. I will never travel on NCL again .
Sad to see Alaska cruises have turned into gift shop itineraries. Need to consider time in port and opportunity to l Tour outside of town. HAL for us, four trips never disappointed.
You all got lucky with the short bus lines in Ketchikan! Yes, those were short lines for the Ward Cove shuttles. Usually they extend well beyond the boarded walkways and shops to the tune of 20-40 minute waits before arriving at the covered shed in the video.
As a Tour Driver in Ketchikan I can tell You Norwegian docking at nasty Ward cove and Bussing Passenger's to Dock 4 is a joke, There docking there because it saves them Money that's not how to treat Your Passengers. Everyone of there Ships that comes in is always on tight turnarounds, Other ships spend a lot more time here and still run the very same runs. I think its because the Ship want You back on the ship to sell You Alcohol and Bingo cards during Your FUN DAY AT SEA
We absolutely LOVED Ketchikan, and found the tour drivers and everyone working there brilliant. NCL, as you’ve pointed out, needs to do a bit better. Thanks for watching, and have a great season!
To answer your question about NCL cruises, I feel that NCL's offerings are suboptimal. In Ketchikan, they dock 6 miles outside of town - a major drawback when shuttle buses have to be used. Couple this with many cruises leaving port in early afternoon, and it is easy to see why your experience at this port was disappointing. Don't judge NCL by your experience on the Bliss - NCL does not do Alaska as well as HAL and Princess. But it does other cruises very well, such as in Hawaii. Ketchikan is worth a full business day in port, as there is so much to see and explore there. Hopefully, you will go there again and have the time to explore. I certainly will be doing this next year, and patronizing the local businesses there.
We had a WONDERFUL morning in Ketchikan, and enjoyed breakfast in a locally owned cafe, which was fantastic. We’re giving NCL one more try at Xmas, as we do like certain things about their ships
Ncl, beautiful ships but they can't organize anything efficiently. Took a panorama canal cruise with them, it was a gong show getting people off the ship onto the waiting buses. The ship was at fault and we lost time off the ship because of them.
Sadly, that sounds all too familiar. There is so much potential with NCL, and we feel it’s only management (not staff, but management ethos and procedures) that are letting them down at times
We were on Norwegian Bliss about a week before your journey, and had the exact same problems! Not enough time in the ports, not enough buses, and very crowded restaurants. Also, a lot of us got very sick…. Horrible, hacking, cough and cold and some got Covid….
You went in April? Was the ship full? Did your boys enjoy the cruise? What time did you get off the ship in Ketchikan (without breakfast)? We’re thinking of going on first Alaskan cruise with Encore with our 15 yr old son but now seriously considering other ships…thank you for sharing your experience!
Yes, we went the first week in April. The ship was full but never felt too crowded… apart from the Ketchikan day. We got off the ship that day at 7am and walked onto the shuttle without waiting. Our boys had a fantastic time, and we are sure you will too! Thanks for watching!
I was on the Bliss last week. Had the same issues with getting in and out of Ketchikan. Did enjoy lunches in the Observation lounge. Thought the sandwiches were the best meal of the day. The food in general was subpar
We were on Crown Princess May 4-15. It was complete disorganization. Staff were not as friendly as we’re used to, the food was so-so, the shows were not very good, left hand didn’t know what right hand was doing, and I’m still waiting to hear back from them about our folio. Extremely disappointed!
When comes to shuttles in Alaska it on same level as a tender to use that as an example. Many times people such as Captain and Cruise Director be like please don't wait for last tender and or shuttle due to this. Many times it about 50/50 some people can't help it due as that when there tour comes back, while others usually wait till last minute. While on the Falkland Islands the last tender was at 4:00 p.m. (16:00) as was a huge long line like you experience. It pushed back their sail away time 2 hours due they had to shuttle so many people back to the ship as the travel time was 20 minutes. I would said if you got back to the shuttle an hour earlier you wouldn't have experience this. I am not sure if you guys were delay in town for some reason. That as also what you experience in the dining room it was same reason everyone went back to the ship and went for lunch at the same time.
We appreciate what you’re saying; however, the ship knew how many passengers would be returning, and that they would all want to eat at the same time. Having an additional dining room open would have alleviated this. We couldn’t get back any earlier because we were watching the show, as were hundreds of others on the same ship
Just don’t go on NCL, I was a travel agent for 30 years and never had good comments from clients that insisted on going on them due to the price. You get what you pay for. I never wanted to go on them.
I know a couple , notorious for saving a buck, who regularly cruise NCL. They recently went on an Alaskan cruise and never said anything about it. They boast about how savvy they are about saving money when traveling. My husband and I would never visit Alaska, and certainly would never cruise on NCL again , which we cruised on once, 14 years ago. We prefer to spend lavishly when we travel: best restaurants, hotels etc. Never understood how bragging about being cheap was an admirable trait.
@@sharonsalzberg2654 have you ever been, take a cruise tour, it is delightful, but start or end in Vancouver as from Seattle many do not go up the inside passage on the east side of Vancouver Island. Touristy areas are popular due to s reason, people like them. Don’t have an opinion until you have been. So many itineraries to choose from.
It’s normal. So glad I cruise with Holland America. As has been said in other comments, check your itinerary carefully. Also, talk to a travel agent who specializes in cruising if you’re not inclined to do several hours of your own research
Hi there! We were hoping it wasn’t normal, as we’ve got NCL booked over Christmas, but as you’ve said it appears endemic with NCL. We research exhaustively, but when NCL changed the entire itinerary so drastically, after we’d already bought flights, there was little we could do but make the best of every port. We did a good job of that, they just let us down a bit in Ketchikan.
Your video has me concerned. We will be taking this ship on our very first 7 day cruise, and to Alaska. 1) Did you experience chaos through the whole cruise or just Ketchikan? 2) Would you recommend NCL cruises? 3) Is mealtime like that every time? 4) What changes did NCL make in your itinerary? We are going at an even busier time of year and now I'm worried we made a mistake. 😬
1) No, just Ketchikan. 2) We really liked the ship, and there really is something for everyone to enjoy onboard. Isn’t our favourite cruise line? No. Would we cruise them again? Yes, if the price was right. 3) Mealtime was ONLY like that on that day, which is why we pointed it out. It was unusual! 4) NCL changed our itinerary MASSIVELY. Taking away both Glacier Bay and Skagway, replacing them with Icy Strait Point and Sitka… nice ports, but not what we booked! Also, port times shrunk a lot in the months leading up to embarkation. But please don’t worry, having watched our video you will know to plan accordingly, and no doubt avoid the chaos we endured. We’re sure you’ll have a wonderful cruise, cruising is great and the is one morning did NOT ruin our trip AT ALL!
@@TravellingWithTeens Oh thank you for reassuring me. It's very expensive to begin with and I sure didn't need to feel like we would be wasting our money. We will be celebrating our 40th anniversary and this is a bucket list trip. So looking forward to it!!! So sorry to hear they took away Glacier Bay and Skagway. I would love to see those ports as well. I just don't understand how the cruise line can get away with that. It's false advertisement! I know you were so disappointed! Take care 🛳️
I've been to Ketchikan several times on various cruise lines. (BTW, HAL is the best for ALASKA) Ketchikan is my absolute least liked cruise port. Nothing but shops of junk and touristy crap. One should go to Alaska for the NATURE, not the shopping. It's an artificial village made just for tourists and actually closes down in the off season. Many shop keepers don't even live in Alaska. It's just a major rip off for many people.
It makes me sad to hear people had a bad time in Ketchikan. It actually doesn’t shut down, there’s over 8,000 people who live there year round. It’s not an artificial village at all.
Thank you! There is room service if you pay for it, but we didn’t want to feel forced to do so. Also, imagine the wait for room service when everything else was over capacity! We appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment!
Cruisers have commented that Cruise lines don't spend enough time in ports but if so you have to plan. Other people obviously had the same idea as you and that's why the mass of people at the shuttle / ship venues.
We agree, but when the cruise line says last shuttle at 12, you should be fine at 11.45. Also, the majority of passengers wanting to eat lunch at 12.45/1.00 should not have come as a surprise to NCL. They just weren’t ready for it, and not willing to bend
I have never sailed NCL to Alaska so I can't comment on that itinerary, I can say though that I've never had this experience on an NCL Caribbean Cruise, and I've taken several.
On NCL now and just pulled out of Ketchican. I flagged down a taxi near the main street and asked him about seeing wildlife. Nice young man was the driver, said he'd grown up in the area. $100 for an hour tour and delivered us back to NCL Ward cove. Glad to skip the line and bus ride back. He had us stop and get out at a number of scenic locations. Money well spent.
Great idea!
Love that idea.. thank you!!!
This is what i always recommend to people when they visit
@twistedspike69 good tip!
I was born and raised in Ketchikan and my dad is a cruise ship captain in SE Alaska!! Thank you for taking the shuttle to town and supporting our locally owned businesses!!
It was our absolute pleasure! We had the best time!!! (NCL issues aside)
I am glad I use Princess in Alaska. Just walk off into the city. Love Ketchikan.
It is a fabulous city. We may consider Princess next time! Thanks for watching!!!
@@TravellingWithTeensprincess is awesome for Alaska
@bigguy1403 so we’ve heard! They’re on our list for sure! Thanks for watching!
I’m so glad to hear this! I’ve booked on Princess to Alaska for 2025!
@@vickymatous5512 I will be on Caribbean May 5th-17th 2025. I feel very sure that you will enjoy your trip.
I've been on NCL a number of times (4) and have had no problems with them; but on my last trip to Alaska last year on the Bliss, we docked at Ward Cove, and that was the worst part of the trip. It was chaos getting to and from because you just don't have a lot of time in Ketchikan. The cue to get on the bus at Ward Cove was way too long with 4k people trying to get to town, and getting back was just as bad. I plan on going back to Alaska again, but if I'm NCL, I'll just stay on the boat at Ward Cove. Otherwise I'll go on HAL or another line that docks downtown. But I've enjoyed your videos. Thanks for the tour!
You’re welcome! Sorry to hear you had the same experience as us in Ketchikan!
Just back from Alaskan Cruise on the Brilliance of the Seas, Royal Carribean - no issues at all with Meals, docking, getting on/off ship - docked in great places at all ports, Shuttles if needed ran smoothly - never an issue with restuarants included in cruise - defineately go with them again. A smaller and older ship but no complaints - had an amazing time - well organised and run
We’re on RCCL in August (for the first time!) so that’s great to hear. Thanks for watching!
Loyal to Royal for a reason! Did this cruise 2023 summer on the Ovation. Bucket list! Everything from the ship to the ports was amazing ❤
@levyfarm8529 great to hear! We’re taking our first RCCL cruise in August, and we are very excited
The itineraries I have looked at specify whether they are docking at Ward Cove or Ketchikan. And for the record, Ketchikan is actually a year 'round community. Most of the residents avoid the areas that are overrun by cruisers during the day, so the cruisers may only see the carpet bagger army that runs the cheesy gift shops, but there are 12,000+ people who live there all year. It is actually a pleasant visit during the off season, there are regular flights to Seattle and Juneau and ferry service up and down the coast.
Thanks for the info, we loved it and would happily go back at any time of year… although probably not at peak season and probably not with NCL
Best advice when picking any cruise is your itinerary and how long you are in each port. You’ve got to have time to explore…..that’s why we cruise!
We did! We were meant to go to Glacier Bay and Skagway… but NCL changed our itinerary! And due to our flights and the kids’ school exams we couldn’t move to another cruise. Thanks for watching!
That is a point that is not brought up - time in port. The cheaper NCL and Celebrity crises have port stops of 6-9 hours. Where as many of the HAL and Princess cruises have 10-13 hours stop .
They change them all the time anyway.
Yes! THIS
Exact reason we didn't go with NCL. Their port times are half of HAL or princess
We just got back from 7 days on the Disney Wonder & it was amazing! We docked right in front of the outlet store in Ketchikan & had about a 4min walk from the boat to the Lumberjack show. Even though we decided not to go to it, as we had things booked on all our other port days, you could hear the roar from the crowd & it sounded like people loved it. I'm so sorry for your experience, but I bet you've helped a lot of other people make informed decisions about who they choose to cruise with, so thank you!
Yeah, NCL is not great for Ketchikan, but we’re so glad that Disney gave you a better experience! Thanks for watching!
Born and raised in ketchikan... I see this every day... you can always call a taxi 🚖 if you don't wanna wait in the long lines for the shuttle bus 😊
That’s a very good idea!
Be aware, that on these busy ship days, there are only dozen or so cabs running in Ketchikan. No where near enough to pick up everyone needing to get to NCL dock at Ward Cove!
I loved my time in Ketchikan last summer. Enjoyed the lumberjack show. I went on Holland American Eurodam
We loved it there too! Thanks for watching!
Thank you SO MUCH for this "reality" video, these are the kinds of videos I really need to plan my trip, not some glossed-over versions of Tubers who are getting paid/free cruises by painting a perfect picture. I was sketchy on going to Ward Cove because I wanted more time to see Ketchikan, so I guess it will be Princess or HAL now.
That’s probably a good move, if Ketchikan is high on your priority list! Thanks for watching, and for your lovely comments!!!
HAL is my choice through Alaska cruising. Great berths, skip the waterfront street full of gimcracks, head for Native goods outlets, enjoy the local eats at a local restaurant. Ketchikan = Lumberjack show! Walk to it off the ship.
Princess and HAL are the best to see Alaska! They have been cruising Alaska the longest, have history in Alaska, and have the most sailings in Glacier Bay, which is not to be missed. I believe the only lines with authorization to enter Glacier Bay, in addition to these two, are Cunard, Seabourn, Viking, and NCL. Lois
@montyboswell6509 I think you’re right!
I’ve been on two Alaska cruises, both with HAL. Loved Ketchikan, and we docked right next to town. We were there all day. We did 8 different cruises with Holland America, and never had any bad experiences. Never would cruise with anyone else.
We are inclined to try HAL next time in Alaska, based on what you (and others) have said. Thanks for watching!
They are my choice too! I'm going to Alaska for the first time Sept 2025 on the Eurodam. Can't wait!!!
And the REASON you have "never had any bad experiences," is because the locals (me) drive like snails to keep you safe while you are wandering around without even noticing anything but the shops (Are you detecting some disdain? Wonder why?). For my own part, I would just never cruise; the Ferry, AMH, is good, though.
@@DanMortensontourism helps your town. I live in Sonoma County, CA(wine country) One needs to have patience for non-locals😉, as they keep $$ flowing in our community 😀We’ll be in Ketchikan in September of next year. We’ll try to be aware✌️
Had the same experience on the Bliss in April of this year. Have taken 4 Alaskan cruises through Ketchikan and in the future will avoid those that dock at Ward cove. At least the line for the shuttle seems to have improved. In April the line stretched back to the bridge you were crossing at 12:00 in the video.
Wow! We don’t need any more convincing than that… another cruise line for us next time we’re in Alaska!!!
@@TravellingWithTeens we've had good experiences in the past with NCL, Royal Carribean, and Holland America, on those trips we docked directly in town and it was a much better experience...more time in port and less waiting in line or for shuttles. The dining problems you mentioned were a real issue for us throughout the cruise..not just at reboarding from Ketchikan.
@JamesS-h8h yeah, we’re getting that vibe from NCL meals too
One of the benefits of cruising HAL is they have priority at the main dock, no bus to get to town. Stay safe and thanks for sharing
Ohh im so glad i am going on a HAL in july!
We will go back to Alaska, possibly on HAL, once the kids are grown. Thanks for watching!
Absolutely! Was in Ketchikan last month on HAL and we docked right in town. Was a wonderful day! HAL all the way. ❤
@lisal2092 thanks for confirming!
Sorry what is HAL?
I live in Ketchikan (almost 50 years) and it's always interesting to see how visitors view us.
Not sure how many people we met were seasonal workers (as opposed to long-termers like you!) but we found you all super friendly! Thanks for having us!!!
It’s not the citizens of Ketchikan it’s the cruise ship. They really don’t give people enough time to visit the area, especially if they have to be shuttled somewhere else. I also don’t like the fact that five cruise ships pull up to one port all at once. That’s way too many peoplein such small towns
@whoooami2090 we agree with all of these points!!!
Thanks for the honest review of Norwegian Cruise line! People don't talk enough about some of these issues.
Unlike a lot of TH-camrs, we never make negative videos just for the click. But when it’s honest, we feel we have to for the good of everyone watching. So glad you see that. Thank you so much for your support, I hope you subscribe and enjoy the rest of our upcoming (and past) content!
I love Norwegian
@lisanorton7963 to be fair, there’s a lot to love… and we’re back on NCL over Christmas! But no line is perfect
Hiya from Eagle River AK. We will be taking the AK Marine Highway ferry from Haines to Bellingham. Bit different from your cruise but we are looking forward to stopping in Ketchikan. Thanks for showing us around :)
Wow! That will be an amazing trip. We hope to see more of Alaska, you’ll have to give us some recommendations of where to visit. Thanks for watching!
Great informative video! I'm booked for next year on Encore and did not know about wards cove. I've checked the schedule for wards cove and it just so happens ship Joy will also be docked on the same day arghh! So that'll be about 7000-8000 passengers getting on the shuttle buses to town.
Good luck! Hopefully they’ll have sorted it out by then
Sorry you had such a poor experience getting back on the ship, but I really appreciate seeing things like this! Ketchikan looks lovely though, great video ☺️
Thanks, Lucy! Looking forward to more of your Marella content!
Well, it's good you've got tunnel vision, and can't see the burden they put on the townsfolk...
Our first trip to Alaska was in 2010 on Princess. My sister forgot to bring a jacket with her. Turned out to be a good thing. We still wear our jackets from that trip. In 2019 we went back to Alaska on HAL, bought new jackets. I still wear mine from our first trip. We'll be going next year on Princess again. New jackets, good prices and they last.
We REALLY liked the jackets, they looked great! Coming from the UK though, our winter wardrobes are overflowing. Thanks for your great story and for watching!
I just came back from Alaska on Holland America's Zaandam. It was great, no crowds, no issues.
Wonderful! We’re very pleased that you had a great time
Thank you for your documentation! I used your advice in every port but missed this one. We were on the Bliss two weeks ago (mid-June) I agree, not enough time in Ketchikan, and it was SOOOO BUSY! I think 5 ships were in port. We took an excursion back to the ship from Ketchikan to Ward's Cove. After watching this, it was worth the money. We had the same issue with the congestion in the cafeteria's as you did.
Sorry you had difficulties too, but thrilled that we helped you (in some small way) to have a great cruise. Thanks so much for watching!
I’m glad I visited Ketchikan when I lived there BEFORE all the cruise ships. I can’t believe how “tourism” has changed it.
The number of ships in port on any given day is very concerning, we imagine it’s changed the town a lot! Thanks for watching!
Did the Bliss last September to Alaska. We were in the Haven and it was fabulous!!
Haven is on our list! Looks amazing, and a totally different experience
We are booked on the Bliss in the Haven in July 2025. Can't wait!!
Have an amazing time!!!
I had a similar shuttle issue on the week of 5/11. Got in line at 11:15 to catch the shuttle, took more than an hour. Couldn’t find food when I got back.
It’s not good enough, is it?! We were the first cruise of the year, so we really hoped they’d sorted things by May… obviously not! Sorry to hear your story, hope you had a great cruise regardless
Be thankful you we’re in Ketchikan in the summer….record numbers of visitors in the same space you were in…
Oh wow. Too many ships docking
This was my first cruise ever, I was disappointed in the amount of time in port and long lines and wait to get on shuttle . I actually saw myself on your video 😅. That day we went to America Cafe and had a wait cold wait but food was good. I agree more restaurants should be open on short days at Port.
Hello fellow passenger! Hope you had a great cruise regardless of the waits!
The times are listed that each ship is in a port, choose accordingly. HAL and Princess have most of the day in each port.
We have cruised a lot with Norwegian (small & large ships) and have never seen anything like this before, please don’t let it put you off trying NCL again. The Lumber Jack show looked great fun and the town itself looked interesting to wander around.
That’s good to hear. We liked so many things about Norwegian and this was just disappointing. I’m hoping it was partly due to it being the first week of the season and therefore teething problems
Your ship was parked at the Mill where I used to work. Which is also about 1/2 mile from where I grew up in Ward Cove. Good video.
Ward Cove is beautiful! Next time we go, we’ll explore that area more
I was on the Westerdam relocation b2b from Japan 6 weeks ago. There were 4 cruise ships in the harbor and Ketchican was a zoo. But I've been there before and enjoyed it.
It’s a shame when these ports get
Overwhelmed with passengers, it can ruin the experience. We were happy to be the only ship in! Thanks for watching!
We got the same bus driver! We were on the Encore though last week.
Jonathan is a legend! Hope you had a great time
We were also part of that mess, too. We were lucky since we’d done the Crab Feast, so we were not needing lunch. There just wasn’t enough time in Ketchikan.
So glad to hear from someone who understands! There was just something not quite right about it from an organisational side. Hope you enjoyed your Crab Feast and your cruise, thank you for watching!!!
We were on the Bliss and 1st Alaska cruise of the season in 2023. Amazing trip! I think it was NCL's first yr docking at Ward cove instead of Ketchikan itself, and that was an epic disappointment. The shuttles took ages to arrive to take us into town, and we really only had an hour in town before we had to queue up for the shuttle BACK to the ship! Very frustrating.
Some things never change!
Part of the problem with the buffet is campers. Some people will eat and eat and eat then just stay there playing on their phones or visiting. I just got off the Encore this morning, and saw this type of behavior many times. Of course, those cruisers are on vacation, and the staff will not ask them to give up their table so someone else can sit. Sometimes it's best to grab some food, put an empty plate over it to cover, and go to another location, like your cabin, to eat it.
We tend to avoid busy times, apart from this once, so normally don’t have a problem with this. We don’t think it helps that on cold weather cruises, everyone piles indoors and nobody wants to sit outside despite the heaters in the ceiling. Thanks for watching!
We took this same cruise 2 weeks ago. Had Absolutely no problems eating when returning from the bus to Ketchikan. Remember, you are on a ship with 4000 people!!! As for NCL not giving you enough time in a port to do everything you want to, maybe choose another cruise with a different itinerary.
We did choose another itinerary ( NCL changed this itinerary on us, and we couldn’t move our cruise due to flights and the kids’ schools). Glad you had a better experience, many thanks for watching
Especially in Alaska, I'd use any other line besides NCL because of Ketchikan. Wards Cove was a bad idea, but ut probably saved NCL money in the long run over docking downtown.
Yes, we agree - though Ward Cove is a good shopping destination if you can’t travel far. Thanks for watching!
Corporate greed 😢
I watched your video, and it brought back both good and bad memories. Our very first cruise was from Seattle to Alaska on the Celebrity Solstice in August 2016. Our very first port was Ketchikan. Like you. we did not have an excustion, but just wanted to explore the town..We did a Duck Boat tour and it was both informativie and fun. Our driver pointed out some shops and restaurants that were run by locals, and were highly recommended. We were very happy with everything we did and saw, and have wonderful memories of Ketchikan. Also, we thoroughly enjoyed Celebrity and everything about our cruise. We have taken several more cruises over the years, and never experienced any "chaos" like you did, unntil..... In January 2023, we booked a Panama Canal cruise on NCL, on the Norwegian Bliss, and our chaos experience began at LAX, when NCL did not have enough buses or trucks to pick up passengers and luggage for the passengers that they booked our flights. We waited in line for about 3 hours before heading out to the terminal where more chaos awaited us. When we got there, we found thousands waiting in line. Supposedly, we had "priority" boarding and a scheduled time, but it didn't matter. Everryone was in the same chaotic line. When we got to the check-in station, they could not find our room keys. So, they sent us to board with a note to make the keys at the boarding. It was difficult to get thru security, then when we boarded, we had to wait more that 1/2 hour to get our room keys. Of course, we were not alone. We got to wait and discuss our frustration with about 20 other passengers. We were on a 15 day cruise from LA to Miami through the Panama Canal. Going through the Canal was a wonderful experience.. We had several other chaotic experiences, that I will not discuss. There were several things that we liked, especially the shows like Six and Jersey Boys, and the other entertainment. Mostly, the food and service in Savor and Taste and the Main Dining Room were very good. The Observation Lounge was wonderful. We especially enjoyed Antigua in Guatemala, and Cartegena. Then, when we got to Miami, unbelieveably more Chaos awaited us, in NCL's brand new beautiful multi-million dollar terminal. It took hours of waiting in the theater, then in line to exit the Bliss, and even more lines to get through customs. Like, they didn't know how many people they had to process out. Our Miami tour, then run to the airport was cut short as we departed 2-3 hours late. I firmly believe the the "C" in NCL definitely stands for "chaos". We will take another NCL cruise. We did another 15 day cruise earlier this year on Holland American from Sydney around New Zealand to Aucklund. What a wonderful experience. Embarcation Day was a breeze. From when we exited our taxi, we were on board the ship in less than 15 minutes. Leaving the ship in Aucklund was just as easy. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience so much, our next cruise next month to Norway, Iceland, and Scotland are also on Holland America. If I were you, I would reconsider your NCL plans. Good luck!
Wow. I’m so sorry that all happened!
@@TravellingWithTeens Thank you. It’s interesting that I never heard anything like that from NCL.
I get the impression they don’t apologise (or bend), no matter what. Someone please correct me if I am wrong
@@TravellingWithTeensI'm loyal guest with NCL for decades. In November 2023 cruising with Bliss from LA there were 45 minutes to wait in line, not for boarding process, but for passing through security. Boarding process itself took just 10 minutes (late boarding). Cruise in December 2023 from San Diego back home to Moorea with Spirit 10 minutes security line and 5 minutes !! boarding time (again late boarding). In my experience for boarding process best option with less or nearly none waiting time is either early bird or late boarding.
From my experience regarding "rush hour" food situation on board, when all guests coming back from port to ship is all the same with major cruise lines. I experienced this also on cruises with Summit (Celebrity Cruises).
So generally, to avoid this "rush hour" with food, I take something to drink or grab a coffee, find a quiet place (for example Waterfront deck 8 on Bliss is perfect), relax and enjoy sail away. So, mostly one hour later food situation is getting normal, doesn't matter which cruise line, either with NCL or any other.
@monikaliebold4225 we agree, and we appreciate it’s busy when everyone gets back on, but after 25 years of crushing both as crew and as passengers, this was next-level chaos. NCL should know people’s dining patterns based on experience. It was as if the crew were shocked and didn’t know what to do with the mad rush, so they just shrugged and said ‘it is what it is’. Not good enough on that day, in our opinion… but we appreciate your POV completely! Thanks for watching!
So, I took the same cruise as you last year. We did not have the same issue with food as you did, but I was very unhappy with where NCL docks in Ketchikan or Juneau. Ketchikan is my favorite port (it was our 3rd trip) and because of the distance from the port and the amount of people on the ship having to be shuttled, we had very little time in town. I was not happy. Needless to say, I will never cruise on NCL to Alaska again. We have an Alaska Cruisetour booked for next June, but this time on Royal Caribbean. I should have stayed loyal to Royal!
How interesting! We’re about to do our first RCCL cruise in the summer (the Med) and are really looking forward to it. Thank you for your perspective, it was our first time in Alaska (and NCL) and we didn’t know what was normal what was not. Thank you for watching!
We just got back last week, from an NCL Alaskan cruise, and I totally agree with you, where NCL docks is terrible, we did the Saxman village tour which I didn’t care for, and the lumberjack show which was great, but because of where NCL was docked we didn’t have anytime in Ketchikan, and will not take NCL again if we ever go back to Alaska
Wow, we thought it was just us! Thank you for watching, and for taking the time to comment!
@@TravellingWithTeens I did the Mediterranean in 2009 on Royal’s Voyager of the Seas. Had a great time!
@jojoinrancho320 thank you so much! We’re really looking forward to it
The Aleutian Ballard boat is a great experience if you like watching Deadliest Catch tv show. Quick view of it when heading back in on the left..
We will check that out! Thanks!
I went on that excursion. Was fabulous!
Jealous!
I visited Ketchikan in 2017 on the Norwegian Sun (much smaller ship) and we docked in Ketchikan. I took a flightseeing trip into Misty Fjords and we flew directly over the ship!
That sounds AMAZING. Thanks for watching!
We went last summer to Alaska on Viking Orion. It was amazing! Never trouble getting amazing food. Never waited in lines to get on or off the ship.
Viking! That’s one cruise line we have our eye on at some point in the future! (Without teens)
We just went beginning of may with Celebrity and everything was amazing! We had a sunny warm day in Ketchikan and went kayaking, absolutely beautiful! Took an NCL last year and never again, terrible food.
There were a couple things that we would class at ‘terrible’ (but then, why on earth did I grab the Green Tea Cheesecake?!) - but on the whole the food was ok. Thing is, on a cruise, you want better than ‘ok’. At least we do
We were on the Oceania Regatta at the same time as your cruise. The dining problem existed on a small ship too! Everyone seems to eat at the same time, and there is not enough seating. We sat outside as well, which is not great in colder weather. I believe cruises to warmer climates will not have such a major dining/seating problem. Alaska beauty makes these problems seem small!
You’re right! The beauty was the reason we went, not the food. We just hit two consecutive problems with NCL (after many others in the previous days) and felt a little fed up with the organisation of the line.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this video. My mother and I are cruising Sept. 8 on the Encore. I booked the Totem Bight tour but I am now rethinking the whole thing. Ketchikan looks beautiful and I would personally love to go and walk around but my mom has a scooter/walker/cane for various places so this definitely looks like a no go for her. I do not think our 10:45 tour will enable us enough time to get back even though I booked it thru NCL. I’m just really nervous about her mobility issues. Would you recommend shopping at Ward Cove and heading back in for lunch before the crowd?
Firstly, if you booked it through the cruise line, the ship will always wait for you. ALWAYS. The accessibility is another issue, one you should contact NCL directly about. They were VERY good at helping people with mobility needs on/off the ship, so I’m sure they will do everything they can to address your concerns. To answer your last question, Ward Cove is great for shopping and would take very little time, plus the scenery is grand, so we’re sure you’d have a great time. Thanks for watching!
@@TravellingWithTeens thanks for the reply. The nightmare scenario of the family that NCL left behind has me rethinking everything. Thats just my personality. 😊
@eeo1973 totally understand! Have a wonderful cruise
I have been enjoying your videos because I will be on the same cruise next April on the Bliss. First cruise of the season but it is 10 days. The ship arrives in Ketchikan at 7AM but departs at 6PM so I'm guessing this is longer than your stay? The shortest seems to be Juneau, arrives at 7A departs a 2PM. But Victoria arrives at 11:30 and departs at 7:30PM. But I am anticipating rain, snow, fog and knowing it is VERY early in the season that many attractions that are popular will not be operating. Thanks to your video, I will be anticipating somewhat rough seas that first night which seems to be normal. Thank you for your videos and insights! This makes me very excited for my trip next year!
Sounds like you will have a much better itinerary and port times than us! Have a great trip, and thanks for watching!
I saw another video saying NCL cannot manage its crowds. There was chaos as well. I was considering trying NCL for my 2nd cruise, but seeing how far they dock at the ports and not able to manage crowds, I don't want to book with them. My first cruise was to Alaska with another cruise line, and I had a wonderful time! I want to go to Alaska again so I can do things I didn't get to do the first time. BTW, I hope things go better on your next NCL cruise!
Thank you, and we hope so too! Good luck finding the right cruise line for you!!!
Norwegian used to dock in town, right where you got off your bus. Unfortunately not anymore.
VERY unfortunately
I was there in September 2022 and love Ketchikan. Used to work on Princess ships and always loved Alaska. We used to do 19 or 20 cruises per season and once I was there for the entirety. Last time I nearly had a heart attack when I ordered a Flat White coffee and it was over USD 7.00. It wasn't even that great either.
Prices in all the cruise ports have really gone up, haven’t they? We cruised the Greek islands last year and the prices had skyrocketed from what we were used to!
NCL docks at Ward Cove quite a ways from town. Lines for bus to Ketchikan was 25 minutes long. Return line was just as long. With 4.5 hours in port it is definitely not worth going into town. Just go to the Mill and get some t-shirts & magnets. Very touristy location. Will not bother to disembark ship next time.
We feel you! Thanks for watching!
We’re sailing to Alaska the 1st week of September. On the Celebrity Edge. We have been on many Celebrity cruises and never had any issues. Hopefully all will go well. We sailed several years ago on NCL Epic and had the same crowd problems. We’re trying NCL next year for our Canada New England cruise. Our travel agent said it’s a small ship. NCL Gem, so she doesn’t think we will have the same problems as the experience on the Epic. I really wanted to do Celebrity CL for Canada New England but it’s 12 Nights & 12 Nights is too long for my husband.
I’m sure you’ll have a great time. We love Celebrity, it’s our favourite cruise line!!!
I have gone on 13 cruises. NCL WAS ONE OF MY FIRST CRUISES. Never went back to NCL
Oh really! That’s interesting. From our perspective, they’ve got one shot to redeem themselves (we’re on the Prima over Christmas and New Year). We’ll let you know!
I cruised NCL in 1999. I found their excursions were not what was described in their brochures. I felt they were misrepresenting what was actually offered by the vendors. This was pre-internet (widespread use at least) so I wrote them a letter when I got home. No response at all. I’ve never sailed them again. I’m sure they are suffering from the loss of my business. 😂
As a side note my daughter lives in Ketchikan so we are very familiar. I would not cruise any line that docks in Ward Cove. It’s way too far from the town. Too much time in transit.
@SDanson-jt3zl Thank you for your comments. Their customer service does seem a little lacking, even now. How wonderful that your daughter lives in Ketchikan, such a beautiful place. Thanks for watching!
I'll be on the Bliss in two weeks. I've got that lumberjack show booked. With the $50 Free at sea credit, it's a steal.
It is! That’s a great use of the Free At Sea credit! Have a great cruise!!!
We did Holland America and docked close to the city makes a big difference.
That would have been ideal
The breakfast looks delicious
It was! So nice to support a local business that wasn’t a chain… highly recommend
I just got off the Prima a couple weeks ago. It was fine for us. But I also don't wait until the very last moment to get back on the ship, so my experience is very different. From your video and the news stuff about the family left behind by the shuttles, it sounds like Ketchikan and Ward Cove are just highly problematic. Ketchikan is such a great place that everyone probably tried to get the maximum time here, which is nice until all 4000 passengers try to get back all at once and then eat.
That’s great about the Prima. And you’re right about Ketchikan being great and everyone wanting to explore. Our main problem is not lack of coaches, it is lack of time in port. Which was shortened drastically from when we originally booked it. NCL can keep saving money by docking for less time, but they run the risk of losing repeat customers like us!
@@TravellingWithTeens Yeah. I mainly do NCL because of how they handle my food allergies and special needs and I've become accustomed to their quirky systems. But with them doing Ward Cove, if I take another inner passage cruise, I would probably spend extra to book private transportation in Ketchikan or go with a different line for that itinerary.
@chezellis ‘quirky’ is a polite way to describe it!
I have been on eight cruises with seven different lines. NCL was absolutely the worst. Indifferent service, constant crowds at ALL food locations, tiny entertainment venues, and constant chaos and disorder. I am booked for two cruises in Alaska this September - - seven days on Celebrity and fourteen days on Holland America. I have had only great experiences on both. And BOTH cruises were priced at $55-80 per night.
My DW says that she would go on Costa again before another NCL cruise..
We are huge Celebrity fans, agree the prices are pretty reasonable… I think sometimes less than we pay for NCL! Haven’t tried HAL yet, it’s on the list. We’ll give the Prima a try at Christmas, but if that doesn’t go well it’ll be our last NCL cruise, ever. Thanks for watching!
@@TravellingWithTeens You must definitely try HAL. You will never consider NCL again.
You asked if this was normal for NCL. It very much is on their larger ships. I try to stick their smaller 2400 passenger ships. Added benift is that the smaller ships can dock closer to town. I have been on the Bliiss before and didn't like the crowds whatsoever. The Food Republic you tried to go to is the silver lining of the ship. Fantastic Food
That’s good to know. We do prefer slightly smaller ships, our favourite so far being the Celebrity Constellation. We booked the Prima for Christmas/NYE as it fits our dates, and ticks off sailing out of NYC on our Bucket List… we feel a bit more prepared for NCL this time, and aren’t so focused on the ports, so hopefully it will be more relaxing
We travelled on NCL to Ketchikan on its inaugural Alaskan Season and at that time they docked in town. It is unfortunate that they are now in Wards Cove.
It is unfortunate that you had a difficult time getting back on ship in a timely manner and getting some food. It sounds like everyone decided to go back onto the ship at the same time and eat at the same time. Just like rush hour traffic, one can only go so fast when everyone else decides to do the same thing at the same time.
I hope your Christmas cruise is a better experience.
Thank you! We hope so too!
Is there a shuttle to cross the bridge? Thanks for a great review.
There are mobility carts to help passengers over the footbridge at the dock. Is that what you’re referring to?
One must for any trip to Alaska, an 🌂.
Absolutely!
We sailed NCL earlier this year for first and what will be our last with them. Many of the same issues you had. Just too many people and no organization. 3 hours in line to board and continued downhill from there. I hope you canceled you next cruise with them.
Funny enough, we did! Decided it was too much money to spend on a cruise after they changed the itinerary (again - this happened in Alaska too) and we couldn’t face the possible stress when we just wanted to relax. Sorry to hear you also had a less than positive experience
Were there several buses to bring all the people back to the ship? We are with Norwegian in Alaska in 2 weeks and now I am a little worried
Enjoying your videos! P.S. As there are 8 cities in Alaska with populations over 10,000, Ketchikan is not the 3rd or even 4th largest.
Thanks! We were just going by what it said on the sign in Ketchikan! Hoping to visit more cities in Alaska in the future
How long did it take to disembark the ship and reach Ketchikan? Planning to schedule a tour 1 hour after docking.
We got off very early and went straight onto a shuttle bus. The whole thing took maybe 20 minutes. You should be fine, but if your tour could pick you up at Ward Cove it would be even better
Thank you for the warning. I will pay attention to time big time when we are docked there. Not sure if I should use surprised or sad face here. Going to see if other modes of transportation are available there just in case.
We reckon that’s a good idea. There were taxis, etc but they seemed all booked up. In hindsight, we should have booked one
What fates were you there? How was the weather? We are thinking of going next May
We were the first week in April. Cold, but not unbearable. Didn’t stop us doing anything. Thanks for watching!
New sub here from Arizona. Our upcoming trips are: A Princess cruise in Oct out of NY to cruise New England and Canada to hopefully see the fall colors. Then Christmas Eve fly to London for a week. Really enjoyed your video and look forward to seeing more!
Thanks so much, you’ve got some great trips booked there! Thanks for watching and especially for subscribing! We won’t let you down with our future content, we promise!
I live in New England, I do hope you're not disappointed, for sure you will see fall colors. So beautiful. Happy cruising!
@@theresak4343 Thank you!
The Mill had a clearance section with great prices. Stuff was probably less than half price.
What, on our sailing? I wish I’d seen that!
We were on he Bliss a few weeks later, but were in The Haven. We had some business at home to take care of first thing that morning that delayed us disembarking early. By the time we disembarked the line to get to town was extremely long and we would’ve only had a coupe of hours before coming back. I was terribly disappointed. We made the best of it and walked around and did some shopping in The Mill, then decided to order crab from the little truck outside The Mill…best decision of the cruise! It was so good, the view of the ship docked in front of us and a relaxing few hours made for a great plan B. Plus, we weren’t hungry when we got back on the ship. Just sharing so your other viewers have an idea of what to do if they end up in our predicament. 😊
We really liked the look of The Mill and the food truck sounds amazing! Sometimes the simplest things to do ended up being the most enjoyable. Glad you had a good time and very useful info for other cruisers. Thanks so much!
In Ketchikan early May 2024. Loved it even with the ubiquitous liquid sun. Nice people, quaint historic town. 'Touristy' of course. Don't miss the saloon and have a Duck Fart.
Glad you enjoyed it, we really loved it too! Thanks for watching!
Just went to Alaska on NCL’s Encore. After reading about the family that got left behind in Ketchikan I wasn’t about to get off the ship for four hours and take a shuttle bus into town. I agree with many other commenters, take a different ship if you want to enjoy the ports. I didn’t get off in Canada either. Was not my bucket list trip after all.
Yeah, we’ll be going with a different line next time we do Alaska. Thanks for watching!!!
If you go on Alaskan cruise always go on holland American they are the best or Princess
Well definitely consider that next time! Thanks for watching!
We used Princess….it was great.
@faithcollins8169 so we’ve heard! Next time…
I was on the NCL Encore last October. It took us over an hour waiting in line to get on a bus to get into Ketchikan. The worse disembarkation for a port I ever experienced. Wouldn’t go back again.
On NCL that is. They can’t handle the large amount of passengers. Closed dining rooms and expected everyone to eat at the Local and had a portion of that closed off putting in new floors during a time when everyone was coming back to the ship hungry! NCL won’t get my business again.
There’s just a serious logistics issue on NCL that needs addressing. It feels like passengers don’t matter! We appreciate you watching, and it’s nice to hear from someone who feels the same!
I was on that ship in October too. Such disorganization! Took forever to get downtown and back. Only The Local was open to eat for the entire ship!
NCL has difficulty managing their ships. I will never travel on NCL again .
@tennesseegail3719 that’s shocking, but not unexpected. Hope the rest of your cruise was enjoyable!
We went last October on Celebrity. We docked at Ketchikan...we did not have to bus in to town.
That’s what we’ve heard about Celebrity! Seems NCL seems to be the only odd one out!
Wow NCL really parks super far from downtown!
Yep, they do!
Cruised Norwegian once. Nickel and dime cruise. I'll stick with Holland!
Yep. We’ve now cancelled our Christmas/NYE cruise on the Prima after feeling ripped off by all the add-ons (and itinerary changes!)
thanks. going there next year Sep 25 and will be on carnival Spirit. This is one of the towns that i really want to tour.
Have a great time! Thanks so much for watching!
What time of year did you go as I can see everyone is wearing heavy coats. We go end June and hoping to take rain coats and layers?
We were there the first week in April, earliest Alaska cruise ever. Don’t worry, you should be fine
Sad to see Alaska cruises have turned into gift shop itineraries. Need to consider time in port and opportunity to l
Tour outside of town. HAL for us, four trips never disappointed.
Completely agree. Thanks for watching!
You all got lucky with the short bus lines in Ketchikan! Yes, those were short lines for the Ward Cove shuttles. Usually they extend well beyond the boarded walkways and shops to the tune of 20-40 minute waits before arriving at the covered shed in the video.
Oh my goodness, that is CRAZY.
And NCL could give a darn…
And THAT is our issue… no one on NCL seemed to care.
As a Tour Driver in Ketchikan I can tell You Norwegian docking at nasty Ward cove and Bussing Passenger's to Dock 4 is a joke, There docking there because it saves them Money that's not how to treat Your Passengers. Everyone of there Ships that comes in is always on tight turnarounds, Other ships spend a lot more time here and still run the very same runs. I think its because the Ship want You back on the ship to sell You Alcohol and Bingo cards during Your FUN DAY AT SEA
We absolutely LOVED Ketchikan, and found the tour drivers and everyone working there brilliant. NCL, as you’ve pointed out, needs to do a bit better. Thanks for watching, and have a great season!
@thomasgayer5621 I think you may also have had Jonathan as a driver! He also pointed out Walmart etc
To answer your question about NCL cruises, I feel that NCL's offerings are suboptimal. In Ketchikan, they dock 6 miles outside of town - a major drawback when shuttle buses have to be used. Couple this with many cruises leaving port in early afternoon, and it is easy to see why your experience at this port was disappointing. Don't judge NCL by your experience on the Bliss - NCL does not do Alaska as well as HAL and Princess. But it does other cruises very well, such as in Hawaii.
Ketchikan is worth a full business day in port, as there is so much to see and explore there. Hopefully, you will go there again and have the time to explore. I certainly will be doing this next year, and patronizing the local businesses there.
We had a WONDERFUL morning in Ketchikan, and enjoyed breakfast in a locally owned cafe, which was fantastic. We’re giving NCL one more try at Xmas, as we do like certain things about their ships
Cruised HAL twice and never had any of these problems.
No, it seems to just be NCL
Ncl, beautiful ships but they can't organize anything efficiently.
Took a panorama canal cruise with them, it was a gong show getting people off the ship onto the waiting buses. The ship was at fault and we lost time off the ship because of them.
Sadly, that sounds all too familiar. There is so much potential with NCL, and we feel it’s only management (not staff, but management ethos and procedures) that are letting them down at times
We were on Norwegian Bliss about a week before your journey, and had the exact same problems! Not enough time in the ports, not enough buses, and very crowded restaurants. Also, a lot of us got very sick…. Horrible, hacking, cough and cold and some got Covid….
Oh dear, that sounds awful. Hope you’ve recovered and hope none of it ruined your cruise completely
You went in April? Was the ship full? Did your boys enjoy the cruise? What time did you get off the ship in Ketchikan (without breakfast)? We’re thinking of going on first Alaskan cruise with Encore with our 15 yr old son but now seriously considering other ships…thank you for sharing your experience!
Yes, we went the first week in April. The ship was full but never felt too crowded… apart from the Ketchikan day. We got off the ship that day at 7am and walked onto the shuttle without waiting. Our boys had a fantastic time, and we are sure you will too! Thanks for watching!
@@TravellingWithTeens thank you! We enjoyed NCL Prima last April (Bermuda). Great food at Indulge Food Hall and The Local. 😊
@icedteamama176 great! We’re on Prima at Christmas and can’t wait!
I just got back yesterday from princess in Alaska and it was amazing and not at all like this. I recommend princess for Alaska hands down.
Yes, we think we will!
I was on the Bliss last week. Had the same issues with getting in and out of Ketchikan. Did enjoy lunches in the Observation lounge. Thought the sandwiches were the best meal of the day. The food in general was subpar
Wow, we were hoping it was just us on our cruise. Completely agree about the food… thanks for watching!
We were on Crown Princess May 4-15. It was complete disorganization. Staff were not as friendly as we’re used to, the food was so-so, the shows were not very good, left hand didn’t know what right hand was doing, and I’m still waiting to hear back from them about our folio. Extremely disappointed!
That’s a shame! We’ve had good experiences with Princess, we think it’s hit or miss sometimes with management on specific ships. Thanks for watching!
O that sucks didn't want to hear that. Were on Princess in 30 days to Alaska...sorry about your cruise.
Don’t get us wrong. We had a great time! Just a few management and customer service ussues to sort, that’s all! Have a great cruise!
When comes to shuttles in Alaska it on same level as a tender to use that as an example. Many times people such as Captain and Cruise Director be like please don't wait for last tender and or shuttle due to this. Many times it about 50/50 some people can't help it due as that when there tour comes back, while others usually wait till last minute. While on the Falkland Islands the last tender was at 4:00 p.m. (16:00) as was a huge long line like you experience. It pushed back their sail away time 2 hours due they had to shuttle so many people back to the ship as the travel time was 20 minutes. I would said if you got back to the shuttle an hour earlier you wouldn't have experience this. I am not sure if you guys were delay in town for some reason. That as also what you experience in the dining room it was same reason everyone went back to the ship and went for lunch at the same time.
We appreciate what you’re saying; however, the ship knew how many passengers would be returning, and that they would all want to eat at the same time. Having an additional dining room open would have alleviated this. We couldn’t get back any earlier because we were watching the show, as were hundreds of others on the same ship
Holland, Princess or Celebrity only in Alaska. Or anywhere else.
We’re HUGE Celebrity fans, and have two booked in the next two years! Thanks for watching!!!
Just don’t go on NCL, I was a travel agent for 30 years and never had good comments from clients that insisted on going on them due to the price. You get what you pay for. I never wanted to go on them.
I know a couple , notorious for saving a buck, who regularly cruise NCL. They recently went on an Alaskan cruise and never said anything about it. They boast about how savvy they are about saving money when traveling. My husband and I would never visit Alaska, and certainly would never cruise on NCL again , which we cruised on once, 14 years ago. We prefer to spend lavishly when we travel: best restaurants, hotels etc. Never understood how bragging about being cheap was an admirable trait.
Alaska looks awful. Touristy and boring
@@sharonsalzberg2654 have you ever been, take a cruise tour, it is delightful, but start or end in Vancouver as from Seattle many do not go up the inside passage on the east side of Vancouver Island. Touristy areas are popular due to s reason, people like them. Don’t have an opinion until you have been. So many itineraries to choose from.
@sharonsalzberg2654 luckily, there’s choices for everyone and every budget! Thanks for watching!
I love Norwegian
wow we always docked down town
Yes, it seems it’s only NCL that doesn’t!
Have you ever had experiences like this with Norwegian Cruise Line? Please let us know, we want to know if this is normal or not!!!
It’s normal. So glad I cruise with Holland America.
As has been said in other comments, check your itinerary carefully. Also, talk to a travel agent who specializes in cruising if you’re not inclined to do several hours of your own research
Hi there! We were hoping it wasn’t normal, as we’ve got NCL booked over Christmas, but as you’ve said it appears endemic with NCL. We research exhaustively, but when NCL changed the entire itinerary so drastically, after we’d already bought flights, there was little we could do but make the best of every port. We did a good job of that, they just let us down a bit in Ketchikan.
Your video has me concerned. We will be taking this ship on our very first 7 day cruise, and to Alaska.
1) Did you experience chaos through the whole cruise or just Ketchikan? 2) Would you recommend NCL cruises? 3) Is mealtime like that every time? 4) What changes did NCL make in your itinerary?
We are going at an even busier time of year and now I'm worried we made a mistake. 😬
1) No, just Ketchikan. 2) We really liked the ship, and there really is something for everyone to enjoy onboard. Isn’t our favourite cruise line? No. Would we cruise them again? Yes, if the price was right. 3) Mealtime was ONLY like that on that day, which is why we pointed it out. It was unusual! 4) NCL changed our itinerary MASSIVELY. Taking away both Glacier Bay and Skagway, replacing them with Icy Strait Point and Sitka… nice ports, but not what we booked! Also, port times shrunk a lot in the months leading up to embarkation. But please don’t worry, having watched our video you will know to plan accordingly, and no doubt avoid the chaos we endured. We’re sure you’ll have a wonderful cruise, cruising is great and the is one morning did NOT ruin our trip AT ALL!
@@TravellingWithTeens Oh thank you for reassuring me. It's very expensive to begin with and I sure didn't need to feel like we would be wasting our money. We will be celebrating our 40th anniversary and this is a bucket list trip. So looking forward to it!!!
So sorry to hear they took away Glacier Bay and Skagway. I would love to see those ports as well. I just don't understand how the cruise line can get away with that. It's false advertisement! I know you were so disappointed! Take care 🛳️
@ReeceS6419 40 years! You deserve the best cruise ever! Have a great one
I've been to Ketchikan several times on various cruise lines. (BTW, HAL is the best for ALASKA) Ketchikan is my absolute least liked cruise port. Nothing but shops of junk and touristy crap. One should go to Alaska for the NATURE, not the shopping. It's an artificial village made just for tourists and actually closes down in the off season. Many shop keepers don't even live in Alaska. It's just a major rip off for many people.
I go for the shopping. I have been 15 times and I live in BC. Lots of scenery
We saw bears on the hillside eating salmon berries on Creek Street. Best thing about Ketchikan IMO
@Kuropii0 oh my goodness, we would have LOVED to see that!
It makes me sad to hear people had a bad time in Ketchikan. It actually doesn’t shut down, there’s over 8,000 people who live there year round. It’s not an artificial village at all.
Is there not room service? i agree that it is way too early to leave the port and they should have more eating places open.
Thank you! There is room service if you pay for it, but we didn’t want to feel forced to do so. Also, imagine the wait for room service when everything else was over capacity! We appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment!
Cruisers have commented that Cruise lines don't spend enough time in ports but if so you have to plan. Other people obviously had the same idea as you and that's why the mass of people at the shuttle / ship venues.
We agree, but when the cruise line says last shuttle at 12, you should be fine at 11.45. Also, the majority of passengers wanting to eat lunch at 12.45/1.00 should not have come as a surprise to NCL. They just weren’t ready for it, and not willing to bend
Our FB organizer hired a private shuttle and we were able to get seats.
That’s a really good idea! Thanks for watching!!!
I have never sailed NCL to Alaska so I can't comment on that itinerary, I can say though that I've never had this experience on an NCL Caribbean Cruise, and I've taken several.
That’s good to know, very reassuring. Thank you for watching
This is the first video of yours that I have seen. I think Tony should do all the talking. I rarely understood a word that Beth said.