NCL/Alaska - deck seating

[rnr4thatsme]

Hello!  I've sailed on the Jade in the Caribbean and one thing I noticed was not a lot of seating on the promenade and outer decks.  For Alaska, do they put more seating out on the Promenade decks?  Debating whether to bite the bullet and pay more for a balcony room (instead of oceanview), or if there would be somewhere to sit outside with a good view.  We are debating between the Jade and Encore for Alaska in May 2025.

[lepidoptera]

Encore has the waterfront. I spent time there everyday on my mid september cruise. It was never crowded even during Glacier bay. As a person from Western NY as long as you were dressed for the weather it was fine sitting out, most people didn’t hang out too long. 

[RocketMan275]

Encore also has the observation lounge.

I would suspect that the Observaation Lounge will be packed to the gills.  I would recommend your own balcony.  You're spending a ton on alaska.  Why waste the opportunity to truly enjoy the scenery if you can afford it .    

Edited November 22, 2023 by RocketMan275

[TheDawg79]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said: Why waste the opportunity to truly enjoy the scenery if you can afford it .    

I ditto this. Alaska is perfect for a balcony(aft balcony is even better!) with it being so scenic.

[RocketMan275]

2 minutes ago, TheDawg79 said:

I ditto this. Alaska is perfect for a balcony(aft balcony is even better!) with it being so scenic.

We did alaska in an aft Neptune Suite on Holland.  Huge balcony.   Great views.  We were travelling with son and his wife.  Plenty of room.  Unfortunately, wife and I were ill for the last few days of the cruise.  COVID? Probably.

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Encore also has the observation lounge.

I would suspect that the Observaation Lounge will be packed to the gills.  I would recommend your own balcony.  You're spending a ton on alaska.  Why waste the opportunity to truly enjoy the scenery if you can afford it .    

Have you sailed the Encore or Bliss to Alaska?

[RocketMan275]

9 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Have you sailed the Encore or Bliss to Alaska?

No, I did have Haven Encore booked but cancelled.

[ChiefMateJRK]

18 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

No, I did have Haven Encore booked but cancelled.

Thx.  I believe you are mistaken about the OL being packed to the gills.  I’ve sailed Encore and Bliss to Alaska four times, and rarely encountered a crowded OL.  Glacier Bay?  Certainly. We just squatted in the Buffet after breakfast. Just stayed there while they closed between bkfst and lunch. Oddly, the bar remained open. 😎  They won’t kick you out but if you leave you can’t get back in until lunch.  The buffet has the exact same views as the OL. 

[RocketMan275]

6 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thx.  I believe you are mistaken about the OL being packed to the gills.  I’ve sailed Encore and Bliss to Alaska four times, and rarely encountered a crowded OL.  Glacier Bay?  Certainly. We just squatted in the Buffet after breakfast. Just stayed there while they closed between bkfst and lunch. Oddly, the bar remained open. 😎  They won’t kick you out but if you leave you can’t get back in until lunch.  The buffet has the exact same views as the OL. 

I wasn't specific but I was referring to Glacier Bay.  

I wouldn't want to hog a table in the buffet.  

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, rnr4thatsme said:

Hello!  I've sailed on the Jade in the Caribbean and one thing I noticed was not a lot of seating on the promenade and outer decks.  For Alaska, do they put more seating out on the Promenade decks?  Debating whether to bite the bullet and pay more for a balcony room (instead of oceanview), or if there would be somewhere to sit outside with a good view.  We are debating between the Jade and Encore for Alaska in May 2025.

For us, the Encore with Glacier Bay is a better itinerary.

 

We spend several hours a night out on our balcony watching the sea and searching for sea life (whales, dolphin). 

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

I wasn't specific but I was referring to Glacier Bay.  

I wouldn't want to hog a table in the buffet.  

It's not hogging a table between breakfast and lunch.  The place is deserted.  It's obvious you haven't sailed one of these ships/itineraries.  I'm guessing the OP would appreciate feedback from those who actually have?

[RocketMan275]

9 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

It's not hogging a table between breakfast and lunch.  The place is deserted.  It's obvious you haven't sailed one of these ships/itineraries.  I'm guessing the OP would appreciate feedback from those who actually have?

It's obvious that you miss much of the scenery if you restrict your viewing to the times between breakfast and lunch, maybe two hours max.  Otherwise it is hogging a table in the buffet.

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

It's obvious that you miss much of the scenery if you restrict your viewing to the times between breakfast and lunch, maybe two hours max.  Otherwise it is hogging a table in the buffet.

 

Not if I eat breakfast first and then lunch later. 🤣  If you had been there (you weren't) you would understand that I wasn't denying anybody a table for breakfast or lunch.  They're all packed in the OL (as you had previously suggested).  I find it strange that you're throwing stones at somebody for something that you didn't witness in a scenario that you've never experienced.  Time to stop digging my friend.

[RocketMan275]

Just now, ChiefMateJRK said:

Not if I eat breakfast first and then lunch later. 🤣  If you had been there (you weren't) you would understand that I wasn't denying anybody a table for breakfast or lunch.  They're all packed in the OL (as you had previously suggested).  I find it strange that you're throwing stones at somebody for something that you didn't witness in a scenario that you've never experienced.  Time to stop digging my friend.

I don't have to witness a scenario to apply logic.  (and I have cruised Alaska) Clearly, you are denying some a table since you're seated in the buffet long past the times the buffet is open.  Either that, or you're missing most of the scenery.  The other discussed alternative is using the observation lounge where one can see all of the scenery without hoging a table in the buffet.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

Clearly, you are denying some a table since you're seated in the buffet long past the times the buffet is open. 

I'm denying somebody a table when the buffet is closed?  That's a good one! 🤣

[laudergayle]

@ChiefMateJRK  Resist.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

 

 

 

well I posted this a second too late😂

Edited November 23, 2023 by laudergayle

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 minute ago, laudergayle said:

@ChiefMateJRK  Resist.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Thanks friend!  My work is about done here.... 🤣

 

Happy Thanksgiving also to you and your family and friends.

 

bottom line:  all of this just makes me more anxious for that next AK cruise on the Encore or Bliss, squatting in the buffet and enjoying Glacier Bay.  I think I have a couple of B2B's booked next year.  Fun stuff!

[RocketMan275]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I'm denying somebody a table when the buffet is closed?  That's a good one! 🤣

I didn't say that.  I said either you were hoging a table or you were limiting yourself to those times when the buffet was closed.  Plus, you have to enter the buffet prior to it's closing and remaining in the buffet until it reopens. 

[laudergayle]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks friend!  My work is about done here.... 🤣

 

Happy Thanksgiving also to you and your family and friends.

 

bottom line:  all of this just makes me more anxious for that next AK cruise on the Encore or Bliss, squatting in the buffet and enjoying Glacier Bay.  I think I have a couple of B2B's booked next year.  Fun stuff!

I can relate.  We just got off Bliss a couple weeks ago…and the next cruise isn’t until May.  We’re doing Vancouver to Seward on the Jewel.  If you have done the Jewel, do you know best place to “squat” for GB?

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

Plus, you have to enter the buffet prior to it's closing and remaining in the buffet until it reopens. 

Definitely the tough part.  Trapped in the back of that fabulous buffet (with peace, quiet and very few other people), with only the Glacier Bay views, my family and the bored bartender (buffet is closed, but he's still open 😎).  Times are tough.

 

I was making a suggestion to others.  Like my oft-posted, generally ignored Seattle disembark hack, you can lead a horse to water but.....

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

I can relate.  We just got off Bliss a couple weeks ago…and the next cruise isn’t until May.  We’re doing Vancouver to Seward on the Jewel.  If you have done the Jewel, do you know best place to “squat” for GB?

I've done Pearl to Glacier Bay (twice), but that was years ago before I became as savy/clever as I am now (that was a joke @RocketMan275).  I'm sure we crowded out on the bow to enjoy the views from the great outdoors.  Now, we're old, so sitting in a quiet space enjoying a Bloody Mary is more our speed.  Those Jewel class ships are nice.  We'll be back on the Pearl for our next one (very soon!) and are looking forward to it.  Any ship with both a Great Outdoors and an OL is top notch in my book.

[macewank]

Alaska outside deck use is going to be incredibly weather dependent.  I sailed the Encore this year and it was in the 70s-80s and sunny for most of the trip.  The outside decks were busy.   Colder and wetter sailings would obviously be less.

May is early season, so you're probably going to be on cold/wet side at that point (I went in July)

[BirdTravels]

22 hours ago, laudergayle said:

I can relate.  We just got off Bliss a couple weeks ago…and the next cruise isn’t until May.  We’re doing Vancouver to Seward on the Jewel.  If you have done the Jewel, do you know best place to “squat” for GB?

It really depends on you. The snarky answer is "outside". For us, we don't "park" for GB. We're moving from side to side (then inside to warm up and grab a drink, then immediately outside). Out to the bow,,, just to say we did it, then back up to a higher deck. The GB experience starts around 7:30 with a ranger talk and continues until noon-ish (and it depends on which of the major glaciers the ship visits). 

 

The absolute best rooms on the Jewel are the forward facing suites. Then,,,, you can squat on your own private balcony and enjoy the day. 

 

Jewel Deck 9 Forward Facing Suite (not GB)

Edited November 24, 2023 by BirdTravels

[RocketMan275]

22 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I've done Pearl to Glacier Bay (twice), but that was years ago before I became as savy/clever as I am now (that was a joke @RocketMan275).  I'm sure we crowded out on the bow to enjoy the views from the great outdoors.  Now, we're old, so sitting in a quiet space enjoying a Bloody Mary is more our speed.  Those Jewel class ships are nice.  We'll be back on the Pearl for our next one (very soon!) and are looking forward to it.  Any ship with both a Great Outdoors and an OL is top notch in my book.

Bird reports the ... "GB experience starts around 7:30 with a ranger talk and continues until noon-ish (and it depends on which of the major glaciers the ship visits). "

Do you intend to occupy a table in the buffet during the  complete 'GB experience'?

[laudergayle]

38 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

It really depends on you. The snarky answer is "outside". For us, we don't "park" for GB. We're moving from side to side (then inside to warm up and grab a drink, then immediately outside). Out to the bow,,, just to say we did it, then back up to a higher deck. The GB experience starts around 7:30 with a ranger talk and continues until noon-ish (and it depends on which of the major glaciers the ship visits). 

 

The absolute best rooms on the Jewel are the forward facing suites. Then,,,, you can squat on your own private balcony and enjoy the day. 

 

Jewel Deck 9 Forward Facing Suite (not GB)

I like the snark. Thanks.  Your preferred viewing sounds like what we will likely do, absent a fwd facing balcony.  We did get a regular balcony.  I’m really excited to do this cruise…we already booked some great excursions.