This was my 12th cruise. I've cruised on all the mainstream lines and returned to NCL for the third time. Our party consisted of three adult women and teen girls in 2 rooms. Alaska was on my bucket list and after being cancelled twice, it was so exciting to finally embark. The pre-cruise preparation was a bit tedious, but my group stayed on top of everything and didn't encounter any hiccups with pre-testing, ArriveCAN, COVID cards etc. You will have to produce these items a few times before embarking and the WIFI at the port is non existent so have it ready before you arrive. You really have to stay organized to avoid surprises and panic, particularly if you are traveling due to timing of certain requirements.

We scheduled a 1:15 boarding time and by the time we arrived at the port there was a line but it moved fairly quickly. We were on the ship with 45 minutes. The safety video was delivered via email so many times before boarding we forgot we had to go to our Muster station and swipe our card, so they had to track us down via letter and remind us to check in.

Cabins were ready and our luggage was delivered within 30 minutes. We have sailed on the Bliss before so we were familiar with the layout. This ship seemed to offer a bit more to keep the teens entertained (at a cost). Our first day was a bit overcast. The first night we saw the Magician in the main theater, and he was entertaining. All of the entertainment was excellent including Kinky Boots (which I saw twice) and Choir of Man. It was the first time I took in ALL the shows and entertainment. The ship was well maintained and felt very clean. Most people didnt wear masks or social distance (hey they were on vacay, right). Empty elevators were plentiful. Read more