tokidoki

Thx again for this wonderful and generous info! Your pictures look like postcards!  One show I didn’t c on the daily is Wheel of Fortune? Did I miss it? Thx  

Hoping u have been able to see whales?  Thx

11 hours ago, ImpressedCruiser said:

Sorry - should've clarified! They held a Q/A with the housekeeping staff and they said it was about 4600 cruisers on the Encore + approximately 1700 crew, totalling approximately ~6300. Although I could have misheard. 🙂

Sounds right! Encores been cruising full!  Thx again for posting the dallies😍

3 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 

While your cruise still has a few rooms, the cruise before you and after you are sold out. So 4600 pax seems very reasonable. 

Wow! Thx

29 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Earlier this month, we were on the Encore's last Caribbean cruise with 4900 (1400 of which were young cruisers). 

Yes! I followed u since I was sailing on the Encore, but I am still confused if there were less than 3000 pax or 4600 + crew?  It’s early to n the season and I am hoping that it’s more like 3000.  

5 hours ago, ImpressedCruiser said:

Amazing! You'll be very pleased with the Encore, and I hope you have a great time as we are! 

 

My recommendation would be to: 

1. Get to the Pier early. Seattle's Pier 66 is quite big and it can be hectic (traffic, people, etc.). They started letting people on around 11:30a,m (ADA, followed by Priority/Statusholders, followed by normal Boarding Groups). We had a check in time of 9:30am-10:00am, were part of boarding group 6, and were on the cruise by about 12:15pm. Contrast this with the time indicated on your e-docs "boarding begins at 12:00pm" - it moves quicker than you'd think. 

2. Go check out the status of your room after you eat somewhere for lunch. Online posts have said rooms were not ready till 2, even sometimes 3pm. We checked out the room after the lunch (approx 1pm) and it was ready (our room was deck 14) ! 

3. Reserve your specialty dining and Choir of Man in advance. There are approximately 4600 people on board our sailing (1700 crew). Reservations go fast. 

4. Buy items to combat motion sickness. The outer passage is very rocky as you have full exposure to the Pacific Ocean and its currents. I am from Canada and they don't sell Dramamine. I arrived a day before to a hotel and ordered via Amazon, but you can pick it up at CVS, etc. if you're already in the US. 

5. Buy or pack binoculars. The ship spends a good 8 hours in Glacier Bay, so it's worth having it on hand to observe any wildlife in the area. 

 

If I think of anything else as the trip goes, I will update this post 🙂 

Thx so much, as we sail May 12!  U did say 4600 with the crew, or plus the 1700 crew? The thx, it actually makes a big difference if the ship had 4600?  Have a blast and stay safe!

40 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 

 

The Bird plays no favorites. The Bird has sailed on the U.S. Inaugural voyages of the Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, Bliss, Encore, Prima, Viva, Symphony of the Seas, and the maiden voyage of the Wonder of the Seas.

 

This year (2024) The Bird has sailed on the Freedom of the Seas, MSC Seascape, and now the Encore. Last year (2023), in addition to the Encore, The Bird also sailed on NCL's Escape, Joy, and Viva. 

 

The Bird was on NCL's very first post-pandemic North American restart cruise, the Great Cruise Comeback, on the Encore in August 2021. (The Bird was also on Royal Caribbean's very first North American restart cruise on the Adventure of the Seas in June 2021). 

 

With regard to the Encore, we are sailing on her to Alaska for the itinerary (we prefer Glacier Bay to the Dawes Glacier on the Bliss). The Bird was on the Encore last week because it best fit our schedule and for the Eastern Caribbean itinerary. The Birds are very comfortable on the Encore and know many of the crew and senior officers who work hard to ensure that everyone has a wonderful cruise.  

 

Have a great cruise to Alaska! Alaska is one of The Bird's favorite cruise destination and we cruise there every year. 2018 Bliss; 2019 Joy; 2021 Encore - the Great Cruise Comeback; 2022 Quantum of the Seas; 2023 Encore. 

thx Bird!

Welcome home!  Seems like u have cruised at least 3 or more times on the Encore, wondered what keeps bringing u back? I cruise on the Encore soon, so I hope to fall in love with her😍

4 hours ago, WickedRed said:

I'm on your sailing!  Also Platinum but in a club balcony, but have not received any Priority tags in the mail.  My friend is guest one and she's not Platinum, so that may be the difference.  🤷‍♀️

 

Excited to see Alaska!!

Looks like it just for embarking and my luggage would get to my cabin faster.  I travel lite and it’s just carry ins for both of us 

This was definitely mailed out to me and received yesterday.  It’s my first time and the priority surprised me.  Gotta be related to platinum.  Thx everyone!  

1 hour ago, gknep said:

May 5-12

Thx! We sail May 12

1 hour ago, gknep said:

I got priority tags in the mail a few days ago for an Encore sailing in May. Regular Club Balcony and platinum. My parents on the same cruise and in a Haven Aft Facing Suite got nothing. 

 

May when?

Hi all! Don’t remember getting tags that say  priority?  I am just in a BA cabin and platinum.  Doubt if it really means anything? Anyone else? Thx 

40 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

The previously loved handbag store

 

Thx!

Just wanted to know if the Encore is one of your favorite ships?  I remember your Alaska cruise last sept and I think you’ve cruised on her before?  If so would love to hear Y she’s a favorite.  

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

We will see. It’s kinda like moving into someone’s house where they left all of the furniture. 
 

The old vendor had a handbag shop here, but you don’t have enough merchandise for a dedicated handbag store, but you want to sell beachware, how do you repurpose the handbag displays for sundresses?  
 

How do you distribute your $1M in jewelry in the old display cases? The old vendor put the high end stuff right at the door, new vendor wants to have an exclusive section in the back,,, using the front cases for cheap stuff that they plan to move quickly,,, giving the store the appearance of being “the place” to go. 

Look forward to seeing the new shops/vendors very soon! Thx

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Supposed to be tomorrow night. Looking at them yesterday, The Bird would say “low probability”. 

Really? Thx

hi!  did the shops ever open up? thx

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

High audience score after 4 rounds gets $250 (you get different random wheel wedges and 2 constants and 1 vowel per card per round). Places 2-10 get consolation prizes (umbrellas and tote bags). This is all automatically scored by system. 
 

Fastest audience solver per round gets a consolation prize). 

 

The Birds bought cards on both nights. We were in the top 10 until the last round… then not in top 10. 

Thx

8 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

What’s the latest game show at sea? Wheel of Fortune. 
 

Like Deal or No Deal, you have to buy a play-along game card to be in the running to be a contestant. Play-along cards are automatically scored based on the wheel spins and letters selected by the contestants. Audience members also score by correctly solving the puzzle before the on stage contestants. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Thx! Have  u ever participated by buying the cards?  What does the audience members even win? 

Just now, julig22 said:

maybe, maybe not. My guess is that it depends on the ship, they seem to have different accounting systems so sometimes it works, most times it does not.

Interesting, cruising soon on the Encore, thx

I am also wondering if the OBC from the stocks can be used toward a purchase of 2 CN certs? Thx

Have a wonderful and  safe cruise😍

When I was offered non stop flights from ncl, if I paid $300, I posted to c if this was new or not.  No one seemed to be familiar, but they didn’t offer me these flights guaranteed so I just let it go by.  Then shortly after at the 110 day mark, I got a much better flight back to nyc from Seattle.  I could’ve thrown away money to get a latter flight at 9:40pm back home.  I actually got a 1:36pm flight which is so much better.  

10 hours ago, Cruiseforus0214 said:

I loved it!!! Choir of Man was amazing. Now I'm not 100% sure, but I thought their contract ended in April and a new show was coming in (Might be SIX?). The bands were great!! The ocean fest pool party was 2 hours of live band music where the 3 different bands shared in singing hits. You can't help but sing it's so awesome! We did not make it to as many comedy shows as we would like but the one we did attend was hysterical. The games of like wheel of fortune, bing, deal or no deal I consider entertainment and the cruise director/assistant cruise director made them hysterical!!

Thx👍