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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 04:34 pm | 1st Post |
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Not having been on either ship, which would be your preference of the two (and only these two please) for a cruise to Alaska and why?
> If you know specifics about these staterooms or particulars about either ship to consider, please share! We're going regardless, but which one is a toss-up.
1) Forward facing balcony on NCL Sun? (panoramic views)
2) Starboard balcony on NCL Star? (facing the mainland for most of the cruise)
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shoreguy
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 04:49 pm | 2nd Post |
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I loved my AD on the Sun. Perfect for Alaska. They other positive you don't have to make the often rough highspeed outside passage around Vancouver Island from Seattle.
That said the Star raced pass us on the inside passage late the first sea day as we slowly cruised along on our forward balcony with no issues.
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 06:01 pm | 3rd Post |
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Thanks Shoreguy!
Safe to assume that while in Glacier Bay, that they try to position the starboard side towards the glacier so that pax without a balcony have a good viewing perspective?
I'm thinking a forward balcony would not have an advantage while in Glacier Bay, although I think it would be a plus for the remainder of the cruise.
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shoreguy
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 06:20 pm | 4th Post |
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PCD_Barb wrote: Thanks Shoreguy!
Safe to assume that while in Glacier Bay, that they try to position the starboard side towards the glacier so that pax without a balcony have a good viewing perspective?
I'm thinking a forward balcony would not have an advantage while in Glacier Bay, although I think it would be a plus for the remainder of the cruise.
Neither ship goes to Glacier Bay. Only the Pearl and port side gets more viewing time. If you take the Sun I would sign up for Sawyer tour on that leaves Juno just before the ship and meets up with the Sun in Tracy Arm late afternoon. The only way to get very close to the Glacier and the best tour I have taken. We saw more whales then the whale watching tour.
Lot of pics if you click on the pics below
Approching the Sun in Tracy Arm
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 06:26 pm | 5th Post |
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Thanks again, Shoreguy! I can always rely on you for great feedback!
(My bad.....I meant Sawyer Glacier).
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shoreguy
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 06:34 pm | 6th Post |
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PCD_Barb wrote: Thanks again, Shoreguy! I can always rely on you for great feedback!
(My bad.....I meant Sawyer Glacier).
OK AuntieBarb - I feel like questions in stereo 
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 07:29 pm | 7th Post |
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Well they are! LOL! But NOT supposed to be as far as you're concerned!
Lurkers will tell!
Last edited on Wed Apr 16th, 2008 07:30 pm by PCD_Barb
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shoreguy
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 07:33 pm | 8th Post |
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PCD_Barb wrote: Well they are! LOL! But NOT supposed to be as far as you're concerned!
Lurkers will tell!
I can still read when I have my glasses on 
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“I'd rather die while I'm living then live while I'm dead.” Jimmy Buffett
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 07:40 pm | 9th Post |
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(BTW: Loved your pics!)
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 08:14 pm | 10th Post |
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Fwd balcony on the Sun is booked. Thanks for the encouragement!
It was really my preference all along. The panoramic views are going to be breathtaking! Woohoo!
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shoreguy
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 08:24 pm | 11th Post |
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PCD_Barb wrote: Fwd balcony on the Sun is booked. Thanks for the encouragement!
It was really my preference all along. The panoramic views are going to be breathtaking! Woohoo!
Outstanding - you should love the Sun. Always has had a great crew. Just a little smaller then the Star. Make sure you eat at Il Adagio. A small cover but a great room and a killer northern Itailian menu. Diffferent from every other NCL ship. Windows all along one side and eveyone gets a great view in the late night sunlight.
Last edited on Wed Apr 16th, 2008 08:26 pm by shoreguy
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 10:59 pm | 12th Post |
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We'll eat there for sure. Reminds me of Impressions, but better!
I realize there's no guarantee, but I so hope that whale watching delivers. I once went in Cape Cod and saw numerous species, but in particular we had a hump back eating right alongside our boat; diving underneath us and really putting on a show. Years later, I took hubby and children back to show them and the most we saw was one fluke at an extreme distance at that!
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ute_fan
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 12:22 am | 13th Post |
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| Are you booking a separate whale watching tour or hoping to see them from the Tracy Arm excursion?
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Cubechick
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 12:25 am | 14th Post |
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We too are looking at Alaska (except we're looking at the Pearl)...
We're debating between an AE aft and the AC FWD...we're trying to decide if it's really worth the extra $1300 for the FWD cabin...
Anyone (Shoreguy ) want to chime in???
This really would be a once in a life time cruise for us (well okay, maybe again 20 years from now when we retire...)...
Decisions, decisions...
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NCL Pearl 6/7/09 Alaska at last!!!!!
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shoreguy
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 01:10 am | 15th Post |
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Cubechick wrote: We too are looking at Alaska (except we're looking at the Pearl)...
We're debating between an AE aft and the AC FWD...we're trying to decide if it's really worth the extra $1300 for the FWD cabin...
Anyone (Shoreguy ) want to chime in???
This really would be a once in a life time cruise for us (well okay, maybe again 20 years from now when we retire...)...
Decisions, decisions...
Both will offer a great view. My $.02 I would save the 1300 and invest it in great tours a must in Alaska.
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Cubechick
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 02:16 am | 16th Post |
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shoreguy wrote: Cubechick wrote: We too are looking at Alaska (except we're looking at the Pearl)...
We're debating between an AE aft and the AC FWD...we're trying to decide if it's really worth the extra $1300 for the FWD cabin...
Anyone (Shoreguy ) want to chime in???
This really would be a once in a life time cruise for us (well okay, maybe again 20 years from now when we retire...)...
Decisions, decisions...
Both will offer a great view. My $.02 I would save the 1300 and invest it in great tours a must in Alaska.
Thanks for the expert advice, SG. That's what I was leaning toward as well. I keep forgetting that we'll be spending a lot more $$$ on excursions on this cruise than we ever have before.
I've heard great things about the aft cabins, and was previously happy with my choice of the AE, but this thread got me wondering! 
We can always do some praying to the upsell fairy (not that we've ever been blessed, but you never know!).
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Next up:
NCL Dream 6/8/08
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NCL Gem 1/14/09 (formerly Jade cruise)
NCL Pearl 6/7/09 Alaska at last!!!!!
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 03:35 am | 17th Post |
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ute_fan wrote: Are you booking a separate whale watching tour or hoping to see them from the Tracy Arm excursion?
Hopefully, all of the above, along with all the other once in a lifetime excursions we can manage. Between Shoreguy and SakeDad's pictures, my mind is on visual overload.
Why, have you some suggestions?
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ute_fan
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 03:57 am | 18th Post |
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Out of our two cruises to Alaska, I have two "must-do" excursions that I'd gladly repeat. The first is NCL's Tracy Arm/Glacier exploration (or whatever it's called). It really increases your chances of getting close enough to the glaciers to see them and being in the smaller boat allows you a much better feel for the majesty of Tracy Arm. We were lucky enough to be there in the first part of June, and saw literally hundreds of seals on the icebergs in front of South Sawyer glacier that I doubt the passengers who stayed on the ship even knew were there.
The second is whale watching in Juneau. My preference is for one of the smaller ships. We went with Harv & Marv last year and had a return trip on hold this year until we decided there wasn't any way this year to do another Alaskan cruise. They've been filling up fairly fast, and I've also heard good things about Capt. Larry and Orca Enterprises.
I haven't been brave enough to try one of the helicopter or small plane trips, but from what I've read, they also sound like good choices. Last year on the Pearl, we did the longer train ride in Skagway. You go by bus one-way to Carcross and ride the train back. It's a long excursion, but I really enjoyed seeing scenery that I knew most people would never get the chance to experience.
I hope you enjoy Alaska as much as we did. We did our "once in a lifetime" trip in 2004 on the Sun, returned last year on the Pearl, and will be going again as soon as work and some personal issues allow us to.
Here's a picture of one of those seals sliding off his iceberg: 
Last edited on Thu Apr 17th, 2008 04:06 am by ute_fan
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 04:39 am | 19th Post |
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ute_fan, thank you for sharing that with me! I've saved your suggestions to go over as we make arrangements.
My sister has been on a cruise to Alaska with RCCL. She mentioned how viewing the glaciers from the ship is no comparison to getting up close. I understand that something as simple as chunks of ice breaking off of the glacier and falling into the water is a unique sound of its own.
My husband has seen the Swiss Alps. I've seen only the southern most edges of the Rockies and live in the lowly Appalachian range. No doubt I will be truly absorbed in all that surrounds me on this cruise. I'm positive we will be very happy we decided to go!
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ute_fan
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 05:51 am | 20th Post |
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I live in Utah and love the mountains here -- it's probably part of the reason that Alaska is so appealing to my DH and I. It combines the mountains that I love with this strange cruise addiction I have (no laughing, Shoreguy!!). Since it's impossible to cruise in Utah, Alaska is about the best thing I've found.
Last year, we had friends that we made onboard the Pearl. They lived in Kansas, and as we were sailings towards Juneau, she kept exclaiming over and over again "Look at those mountains! I can't believe how big they are and how much snow is on them (we sailed in May)." Finally, after about her 3rd or 4th time, I said, "Yeah, they remind me of the ones at home." She stopped, looked at me and said "You have mountains -- like this??" I said "Yes. In fact, they remind me of the ones I see from my backyard." She just couldn't get over the fact that someone actually lived where there were mountains.
We haven't been fortunate enough to be close to a glacier when a piece broke off (which is known as calving). Just another reason to return to Alaska. Sooner or later I'll have that experience.
What time of year is your cruise? Both of our cruises have been fairly early in the season -- one in May, the other in early June. If you're there when the salmon are running, another excursion you might consider is a bear watching excursion. Now that I'm on a different work schedule, I'm hoping to be able to go later in the year and be able to do one of those.
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Calmac
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Posted: Thu Apr 17th, 2008 03:26 pm | 21st Post |
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My favourite excursion in Alaska was a Helicopter Glacier Walkabout with NorthStar Trekking (http://www.northstartrekking.com/content/) in Juneau. We were taken in a helicopter to the glacier then got to walk on the glacier (with spikes in our boots). If (I really mean when ) we return we would choose the Glacier Trek option but DS was too young at the time.
Last edited on Thu Apr 17th, 2008 03:29 pm by Calmac
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Davejohn
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Posted: Fri Apr 18th, 2008 12:30 pm | 22nd Post |
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It's amazing how quiet it is out on the glacier, isn't it? I took the Pilot's Choice tour out of Scagway. We landed on the glacier, walked around, then took off and landed on the peak of a mountain with a great panorama view of the glaciers.
My wife went on the dogsled ride. No way she was going to go near a helicopter. The sissy. 
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PCD_Barb
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Posted: Mon Jul 21st, 2008 03:35 am | 23rd Post |
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My dreams of Alaska for now have fizzled. All I did was mention Eastern Mediterranean to hubby today. He loved the itinerary; even called his buddy about joining us. All of a sudden that was a go and Alaska was on hold. I have a feeling my heart was in it far more than his. 
Thanks to all who helped me out. I'll get there someday!
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BAMA X 2
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Posted: Mon Jul 21st, 2008 03:41 am | 24th Post |
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Barb,
Dont give up cause Alaska is mind blowing cool!
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EileenN
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Posted: Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 02:22 am | 25th Post |
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| Shoreguy, That restaurant picture seems familiar to a restaurant on the Sky on the Inaugural year. We had assigned seating in one of the circular booths facing the huge windows. The view was to die for. Dinner was a pleasure no matter what we ate because it was facinating to watch the water. Am I right about the Sky?
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