Norwegian Wind (Alaska 2000)
Written: Jun 28 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: An amazing experience not to be missed!
Cons: Some trouble with arrival and transfers
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| mchapple's Full Review: Norwegian Wind |
We just returned from a voyage on the Norwegian Wind on the Alaska/Inside Passage itinerary and enjoyed every minute of it! This was both our first time cruising and our honeymoon.
The trip did start out a little rocky, with a lost bag in Vancouver and a very unsympathetic and hard-to-contact American Airlines. However, we planned to arrive in Vancouver the day before the ship sailed and this saved us from the nightmare of not seeing the bag until our first port of call in Juneau three days into the voyage.
Our next snafu was in the morning when NCL's transfer agent failed to pick us up at our hotel as prearranged. Repeated phone calls to NCL assured us that "they'll be there in a few minutes." Finally, they arranged for a taxi to pick us up and take us to the pier.
That was the end of our problems, however. When we arrived at the Vancouver cruise ship terminal we were escorted through the crowd to a special check-in window set up for Penthouse Suite guests. After a quick check-in process, we boarded the ship and were escorted to our stateroom.
Waiting for us in the hallway was Gigi, our cabin stewardess from the Phillipines. She had an excellent command of English and had a great way of being in our room often but going unnoticed. It seemed like every time we stepped out of our cabin, even for a few moments, the bed would be made and fresh towels would be in the bathroom when we returned. Gigi took care to ensure that our fruit basket was always full and our (usually sloppy) room was kept tidy.
The cabin itself was outstanding! The balcony really paid off on this Alaska itinerary. It's hard to find balconies on the Wind -- they are only available on the two highest categories of suites -- but they are well worth the extra money. We enjoyed the half-day voyage through Glacier Bay sitting in comfortable chairs eating room-service breakfast instead of standing on tiptoes on the 3-deep main deck straining to catch a glimpse.
The food was good. Nothing extremely outstanding, but average restaurant fare. There was always something on the menu that interested each of us and they always had a low-fat "Cooking Light" option on the menu as well. Our waiter, Limbago, and busboy, Rokib, really made the dining room an absolute pleasure. We found ourselves returning there for almost every meal, despite the many dining alternatives available onboard, just to enjoy the ambiance and their excellent service.
Speaking of alternative dining, try Le Bistro on at least one occasion while on board. There is no charge for this quaint alternative restaurant, but a $5 per person gratuity is suggested. The food there is out of this world although the service we received was not as good as that in the main dining room.
NCL offers their famous Chocoholic Buffet toward the end of the cruise. In our opinion, it was an amazing sight but not really worth the long wait to get in. This was the only time during our voyage that we encountered a long line. Then again, I'm not really a huge chocolate fan. One tip -- they open the buffet 20 minutes early for those who simply want to take pictures, so this might be a good alternative.
The ports of call were great. There were ample shore excursions in every port and we had a blast on each of them. I'd recommend booking your excursions through the ship (especially in Haines, where time is limited) even though it costs a little more. The added security of knowing the ship won't leave without you is well worth it. We did the following excursions:
Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Ride (done by Temsco). This was a great helicopter ride to and from the glacier with a short tour in between. Total time involved was about 2 hours, with 1 hour of that being flight/glacier time. They also offer a dogsled/helicopter/glacier combo that we tried to get on but was cancelled at the last minute due to weather conditions.
Skagway: Sawtooth Mountain Nature Hike. This was a 5-mile hike given by some excellent guides that allowed us to see some wonderful scenery. It was a little strenuous but well worth it. It was also a good opportunity to shed a few of those cruise ship pounds!
Also in Skagway, be sure to check out the walking tours given by the National Park Service. These are free, last about 45 minutes and give an excellent perspective on the town. You can sign up for them at the vistors center on the main street as you walk into town from the pier.
Haines: Bald Eagle Preserve River Adventure. By far, the best shore excursion we went on or heard about. This jet boat ride through the Bald Eagle Preserve was an experience we'll never forget. We saw about 10 eagles and a few moose as well. The adventure was enhanced by the cooler full of herring our guide brought. He'd inject one with air to make it float and toss it a few feet from the boat. Before you knew it, an eagle was swooping out of the tree and grabbing it in front of your eyes.
Ketchikan: Saxman Native Village Tour. The native village was not to be missed. We got to go inside the clan house and watch a native dance and tour their woodworking shop where totem poles were being carved. We also had a lengthy stop at (of course!) the gift shop. However, I would advise using one of the tour operators on the pier instead of doing this through NCL as we did. You'll pay a lot less and also get a tour of Ketchikan thrown in.
Well, that's about it. Enjoy your cruise!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mchapple
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Member: Mike Chapple
Location: Miami, FL
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 2 members
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