This was our 2nd cruise with NCL and our 3rd to Alaska. Had a bad experience with NCL in Hawaii but decided to give them another try. This was an improvement over NCL-Hawaii but not up to the standards of Princess and Holland America. We booked just a week ahead directly with NCL - price was great, and the last minute booking went very smoothly because of e-docs etc.

The Ship: Some nice public spaces on this ship, esp. the show theater, the game room, and the movie theater. Bathroom in the cabin was esp. spacious with a great shower. Nice size balcony. Furnishings on board however are less than top rate. For example, seating in the buffet (Market Cafe) is poorly laid out and cheap - rectangular laminated tables that seat 8-10 - a tacky look compared to other ships.

The Service: Check-in continues to be a strength for NCL - fast, courteous and bags in the stateroom quickly. Staff on this ship were far better than the all-american crews in Hawaii - they seemed to genuinely want to please. However, the freestyle dining concept makes it tough to establish any kind of relationship with wait staff in the dining rooms since you never know where you will be seated. Read more