dmwnc1959

5 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

Here’s the case

THANK YOU! 🥰
 

I think that I'll have to try one of each, 😉 and imagine those would go very good with a cappuccino. 

3 minutes ago, agkinmd said:

Shamefully photoshopped 😔  

No. Not photoshopped. They're just using an image from roughly 10 years ago. Compare those two to what's in Post #6 and you'll see a drastic retreat of the glacier that has occurred in the past 20 years. 

22 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

Lucky for me, I'm one of the few that goes to the solo lounge for the pound cake and not the cookies.  I'm also one of the few that's not impressed by the coffee machine since it doesn't make just plain coffee

I was watching a YouTube video yesterday on Solo cruising, specifically the dedicated Solo Lounges. The one on Norwegian Encore looked particularly nice. I'm actually now contemplating a repositioning in 2026 on her when the itineraries become available. 

From Marine Traffic 

And very late Saturday RADIANCE OF THE SEAS was an absolute show-stopper as she transited the Miraflores Locks after sunset. How incredibly breathtaking that must've been!!! 🥰
 

Saturday late-afternoon Holland-America's NIEUW AMSTERDAM passed through the Miraflores Locks...

But earlier Friday Fram from the Norway-based expedition group HX Hurtigruten came in from the Pacific side...

Friday we had the Carnival Spirit pass through...

😁

https://www.cruisingearth.com/ship-webcams/norwegian-cruise-line/norwegian-dawn/
 

5 hours ago, alanstarr said:

At the Viva officer's Q&A yesterday,we were told the lack of cookies was a corporate decision. Biggest reason is that, by far, cookies were the food most often found left uneaten on plates in dining rooms and cabins. Contributed greatly to food waste.

 

They also mentioned that if you ask for them specifically, in any dining facility, they are happy to provide them.

So, I'm guessing when my cruise comes around a year from now that open and free 'unlimited' access to cookies will most definitely be a thing of the distant past on NCL. I have to say that I like cookies, and have never wasted or left them uneaten on a plate. Even when they're crispy/crunchy and can be used as an ice cream supplement. 😁

19 minutes ago, kayehall said:

Is $39 for roundtrip?  Where do they drop you off?  What tour company is this?  Thanks

This is from the NCL Shore Excursions lists. Right now I'm only seeing it on the April 28, 2025 southbound from Whittier, but it should also be available on the April 3rd cruise eventually. 
 

The $39 tour price is what the 1st passenger will pay once the shore excursion discount is applied. If there is a second passenger they will pay the full price of $89. If you're traveling solo of course you pay the $39 price. The tour will depart from the ship once all of the tour participants have been gathered at a central point, most likely in the main theater. It'll also return back to ship. You'll be with the tour operator bus the entire time out to Midenhall Glacier and back. I've included a screenshot of the tour description below. 

Keep in mind that there's a 100% chance that Norwegian Jade will be docking at the AJ Dock furthest from town, which is about a 20 minute walk. I'm not sure if the tour operator will allow participants to be dropped off downtown before returning to the ship, but it will be worth asking. 
 

1 minute ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

Here’s the Jade menu today.

You are amazing! THANK YOU. 🥰

Any updates on what's actually going on (and when) with Norwegian Jade in March 2025? The entire month is still blocked. 

26 minutes ago, julig22 said:

On the Jewel right now - here's my cookie haul from Great Outdoors. Choc chip not fresh baked by any means, chocolate ones are the same as they've always had.

Sorry, but those chocolate chip cookies look like something from a generic Chip's Ahoy brand. But I guess maybe it's better than nothing? I'm sure a little bit of soft serve ice cream would help. Still bringing my own when I embark next year if they don't confiscate them first! 😉

11 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

I’ll try to get one tomorrow. Yes I am on the Jade now. Just left Aruba and headed to Curaçao now.

 

I've been following her on the bridge cam! Very exciting, and soooo jealous! 🥰

21 hours ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

I don’t know the answers to your first and third questions, but today’s Jade Freestyle Daily shows the hours of operation as 6am to 10pm.

If you are on Norwegian Jade now - by your post it sounds like it - if you're able to grab an updated picture of the Java Café menu boards and what it is that they offer in the café part. That would be greatly appreciated!!! 

Some stats on Prince Rupert that morning when we start heading south, sunrise is at 620am with it starting to gett lighter outside around 5am-ish.
 

3 minutes ago, Monarda55 said:

That’s a very good point, thank you. 

It may be too the reason why the SB portion leaves from Prince Rupert at 4am 😳 in the morning, so they can transit the vast majority of the scenic cruising all the way down to the Johnstone Strait east of Vancouver Island before it gets dark. I remember once on a roundtrip from Vancouver when we got close that latter point it was getting closer to sunset, there are some pictures posted back on Page 4. Sunset at Alert Bay for the date of our transit is at 8:35pm

15 minutes ago, Monarda55 said:

When I first started looking at this cruise several weeks ago, the itinerary map for April 2026 showed the ship sailing east of Vancouver Island both going and coming. The October 2025 map still shows that, but the April 2026 map has changed— now the ship sails west of Vancouver Island on the northern leg. 

 

The charm of this itinerary, for me, was getting Inside Passage scenery for both legs. Any idea why they would have changed it for one sailing (April 2026) but not the other (October 2025)?  I hadn’t yet booked it, and I’m glad. 

I actually have a screenshot of that original image map that they posted. My guess is that the October map will eventually change as well, and that it was an error in the folks that made the maps.

Going from Seattle to Ketchikan it is much quicker going on the west side of Vancouver Island, and then coming back down - since they are so far over into the Canadian Inside Passage - it only makes sense to continue down to the east side of Vancouver Island heading back to Seattle instead of diverting out to sea and going around the island. 
 

Either way it would have transited the east side of Vancouver going northbound in the dark. 
 

Then vs now maps 

One thing to consider as well, is that big ships transiting the new locks are subject to the tidal conditions at the Bridge of the Americas. This may cause the ship to arrive super early when coming in from the Pacific side, and/or find itself in a sort of 'holding pattern' until the 'time is right' to continue the transit from the Atlantic side. 
 

This happened recently on Norwegian Encore as chronicled here...

18 minutes ago, kamelia said:

Federal lands passes such as the “America the Beautiful” pass, Senior Pass, or Military Pass are also accepted."

Don't forget that if you are a veteran these are easily obtainable online and are free of charge, there is a small $10 processing fee, and they are good for life nationwide. 
 

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm

4 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

Yes, most dining venues will serve coffee. From memory I think it is usually Espresso, Latte and Cappuccino listed on the menus. I don’t know whether they will also get others if you request them.

Those are usually my go-to options. I've never had any of the Frappuccino iced versions listed on the Java Café menu board, but I'm sure going try at least one or two a day for the first two weeks while we're down in the hot and humid climates. I think that will be pretty refreshing. 

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

I can't speak to the Jade specifically, but we are just off the Encore and coffee was available 6:00 a.m. - 8:30 am.

 

All ashore is normally about 9:30 a.m., so closing just before that makes sense. You needed to be out of your room by 8:00. For consideration, by 7:30 am, the elevators (going up or down) will be mostly unusable with people departing. 

I will have to make sure to grab a coffee or two before it closes on turnaround day. lt'll be interesting to see how that works on NCL, and in Whittier. I've done several B2Bs on Celebrity Cruise and Princess Cruises, always making sure that I have the same room for both legs. I've booked a cabin amidships Deck 5, so maybe I can hang out in the atrium for a while until they round us up for the 'in transit march'. And I'm sure the elevators will be a hot mess.
 

I don't plan on having the Starbucks package on the second part of this journey, I think probably after +3 weeks I'll be all coffeed out. 

7 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Not sure if you are aware, but o’Sheehans should be able to serve you at least some of the Starbucks options with your breakfast. I often get an espresso with breakfast there.

I heard this was also true of the main dining room as well, that you could get some of the Starbucks options that weren't of the iced versions?