Staff, most were great, but the people working in the buffet area that cleaned the tables sucked! They would just walk past the tables and not even attempt to clean them off. Most time we had to sit at a dirty table and if your lucky they would come clean it off. Food was good in the buffet, but better in the outdoor cafe and the staff were better at cleaning up maybe because it was outside. Dining hall staff were very attentive food was good. Ship was clean, bathroom is larger than Royal Caribbean’s. Loved the alcohol tastings that was very informative, and interesting. But I have never been on a cruise where the workers that ran the excursions were so nice, informative, helpful, overall amazing customer service. I don’t think anyone can top them, and this was our third cruise, so we have been on a few excursions. Read Less

Wanted to visit Alaska - on my 'bucket list!' This cruise was the best for the price I could afford. Embarkation went very smoothly. I booked with NCL for transportation to & from the ship. The driver on the arrival day made the ride to the ship like an excursion with interesting details about the area we passed through. Disembarkation was made easier with the free valet service which enabled me to get my boarding pass & airline tag for my luggage the night before. Luggage was put out for the crew to collect as usual. Did not see it again until I arrived at my destination! Did wonder whether it would be there. It was! Excellent! Unfortunately, I missed two activities I would have enjoyed on the daily list. Most were of no interest to me. Entertainment, again, I missed the first performance which I would have enjoyed. Did attend the final event which was well done. The food was O.K. but not as good as on prior cruises with another line. Shore excursions were excellent except for that in Victoria. The one I had booked was cancelled due to time/lack of daylight. The one I took should have been cancelled for the same reason. The driver was knowledgeable, but being unable to see what he was talking about made it boring - a waste of time & money - any chance of a refund? Over all, I enjoyed the cruise. The scenery is beautiful. The whale sightings were not as good as hoped for, so may be I'll have to go again!! The crew were all friendly and helpful. I appreciated the time spent in Glacier Bay with the captain ensuring that we were close enough for good views. Read Less

Seeing Alaska was my lifelong dream . Thanks to Norwegian Cruise Lines that dream came true ! They took care of everything ! The booked the cruise ,giving me the room I wanted plus booked our airline trips to Seattle and back home. We were picked up at the airport and taken to ship for embarkation . Going through embarkation was really easy , as they had already informed me of what I could bring and what not to bring ,also what to carry in my carry on bags. Our luggage was taken from the airport to our room , we did not have to handle it any. The dining room was waiting for us with plenty of food ! The fresh fruit was sweet and fresh, the breads were So good and there was such a selection for the main course that I can't name them all. Every dining room had plenty of good food for the taking ! The on board entertainment was Excellent ! Never a boring moment ,unless you choose to have one. Our room stewardess was friendly ,sweet ,helpful and kept our room freshly cleaned at all times. The service all over the ship was superb! Everywhere you went the crew was willing and able to see to your every need. This was the first time ever that I have been waited on and not had to cook or wash clothes or wait on someone else . It was Wonderful !! I don't know how one Cruise Line was able to find so many nice and friendly people , but they did. The shore excursions were perfectly planned and executed . There is simply no way they could have been any better ! The Best of Skagway was simply the best ! The fishing trip my husband went on ,was everything he wanted , he caught a dozen fish ! If I am ever fortunate enough to be able to go on another cruise it will definitely be with Norwegian Cruise Line . My vacation was everything I had hoped for and the biggest part of the reason that it was is because NCL saw to it that everything was taken care of for me , all I had to do was relax and enjoy ! Oh yeah , I almost forgot to mention the massage , oh my you want to get one !!! Felt like a hour of heaven ! Read Less

My whole family, 14 total, went on this cruise and we had a perfect time! It was better than we imagined and we were thankful for the staff that made it wonderful! Our favorite staff would definitely be Red! The kids LOVED him. There were 6 kids that were able to go to the "kids club" and they had a blast! We didn't know how they would enjoy, but they begged each day to go. And the program they did for us on the last day was priceless! I can't say enough positive about this experience. For my first cruise I was super happy!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to do another, although I know it won't top this since it won't be the same. My family thanks all the staff and crew of the Pearl for making their last Alaska voyage our BEST family vacation ever. Words can't explain how happy my heart is after this trip. Read Less

We went on this particular cruise with this particular cruise line because our son was recently hired as a crew member, and this was the last Alaska cruise we'd be able to take with our son on board. So the destination, Alaska, was our decision, but the ship and dates were determined by our son. He's a dancer with the production cast, and the entertainment was GREAT, first class every night--singers, dancers, tribute artists, hilarious comedy and a world-famous acrobatic team! Wow and double wow! The house bands were showcases in and of themselves as well. And Cruise Director Vincent is a superstar of energy, personality and talent all rolled into one!! The food was very good--the buffet was great, but too few tables for two and too many half-empty larger tables in the Garden Cafe, so it was often a hassle getting seated. The Indigo and Summer Palace dining rooms were VERY nice--elegant feeling, great waitstaff, delicious food and reasonable portions. The public areas are large and welcoming, but the chair seating everywhere is terrible--uncomfortable chairs arranged in ways that didn't make any sense and were difficult to rearrange. We had an inside cabin, which was all we could afford, and it was really quite fine. It was too cold to take advantage of a balcony on this cruise anyway, but a window would have been nice--maybe next time. Crew members everywhere were uniformly friendly and helpful, and as our cruise progressed and more crew learned that we were the parents of one of them, we really became part of their family. For the size of the ship, it's easy to get around, and for the number of guests, getting on and off at port was very efficient. The only criticism I have is how often and how much they attempt to up-sell you everywhere for everything. I do not enjoy being bothered so much to lay down more money when we've already spend thousands. Maybe most people who cruise like this just have lots more money to spend than we do. Maybe that's what a cruise is these days. Read Less

If you walk away unsatisfied with the opportunities this cruise provides, then you are probably hard to satisfy. Balcony Room, 9th floor, Mid ship, Starboard. Great staff, buffets way above average, (remember it IS a BUFFET). Top notch specialty restaurants. And the views were spectacular. Were the Excursions bought on the ship more expensive than booking yourself? Yes they were. But that is the price for the insurances that come with it. They will wait if the excursion runs over... etc. Are you confident in your decision making? Book 'em yourself! YOU make YOUR trip. Can things get jacked up? Sure. Your soup was cold, etc. Wow. Suck it up and get something else. The passengers were the only people we had any issues with. Rude, arrogant and demanding. But I am not going to blame the cruiseline for that. I even had a vendor tell me they dislike dealing with people off NCL cruises. That is the same as letting cold soup give NCL a poor rating. Do your research, ships go where they can, SAFELY. They will not risk going to port if it is going to damage the boat and end the cruise. I could go on, but then you might not like me... lol. It was a phenomenal vacation with 2000 plus great people! I personally feel we did not have enough time in Ketchikan , and arrived to late in Victoria B.C. But that is MY opinion, not the cruises fault. Knew it when I booked it! NCL gave me more than what I signed up for. Gave me opportunities to see the beauty of Alaska. And over fed me, wait, once again, my fault! :) Know the menu before you go. Know the length of stays in each port... You'll do fine. Read Less

First of all this cruise is way too late for Alaska. One port was completely closed. In order to see anything while ship was "cruising" a bay, you had to book one of the very expensive small boat tours. Our cabin was OK but the closet was a disaster. Getting the room cleaned could take up to four hours. Food was OK but nothing special. Ask for caviar before dinner--is not on the menu. Staff worked hard but thought they were way under manned. Had to set myself on fire to get a pot of tea for breakfast. This was our first go at Seabourn and they should be better at a regular cruise but having to depend on their excursions is kind of a drag. This cruise line does not come up to the standards of the other luxury cruise lines. They need to work on service and giving their customers more attention on board and off the ship. Did get a nice jacket though. Read Less

After cruising on the "big box" lines for over 20 years we decided to try Seabourn, and oh what a difference! From the moment you arrive, you are on a first name basis with the crew and your fellow passengers. The cabins onboard, with the exception of the larger Penthouse and Spa Suites, are identical in features and amenities and placement for your specific place on the ship is left to your personal preference at the time of booking. We sailed in Suite 745 which is adjacent to the Wintergarden Suite and the footprint of this particular cabin is a bit different from the others but in our opinion, it was ideal. The one and only drawback regarding this suite is that it has a smaller Veranda due in part to being beside the larger Wintergarden, but, the view you have from the small veranda due to the curvature of the Wintergarden provides a nice view both fore and aft. While not necessarily a Veranda for sunbathing or dining outside, the cabin location is awesome in that it is just a few steps to Seabourn Square, the morning coffee bar and the forward observation seating, so who needs a large veranda with this location. The Seabourn staff makes the time you spend with them simply memorable. The officers, including Captain Tim Roberts, interact with guests every day of the experience and without reservation, they are the most dynamic group we have ever sailed with. Our Cruise Directors Robert and James were the everyday "life of the party" and singers Laurie, Carrie, David and Rob provide the music you love and after the shows, they are always spending the balance of the evening with the guests in various venues onboard. Last and certainly not the least, Executive Chef Gary and his awesome support team of Frank, Tony and all the galley team deliver a spectacular dining experience each and every day. Seabourn is so very different in so many ways...no photo selling, no art auctions and no "nickel and diming" along the way. While some may look at Seabourn pricing compared to other lines and values, with Seabourn you get exactly what you pay for...a tremendous and enriching experience with great memories to take with you! Bravo Seabourn, well done. Read Less

We chose this sailing specifically to see Glacier Bay. At our first stop In Juneau it was pouring rain, we went on an excursion to Mendenhall glacier the bus was 1 hour overdue on picking us up to return to the ship, my parents, my wife and myself were soaked to the bone and freezing (mom 84yrs,dad 91yrs),they gave us a 40% discount!!. My dad's knees and hips were shot as a result for the rest of the cruise Unfortunately there was a medical emergency on the way into the bay and they turned the ship around and sailed back out . They wasted 2-3hrs sitting in fog waiting to see if a helicopter would come and get the passenger (no chance, the fog was soup thick), then we sailed a couple hours to a bay near Juneau to meet a coast guard boat, the Coast guard boat was too low, so they put the passenger on a lifeboat and lowered it to the water to make the transfer. That pretty much used up the entire day. They indicated they might ditch Ketchican and go to Glacier Bay. (most guest were in favor of this option) The Captain decided this was not practical, even though it seemed like it was his idea. (would imagine he was overruled by management). By not practical, I assume they meant paying for the extra fuel and refunding shore excursion money for Ketchican, then to add insult to injury they gave us a $15.38 credit for missing out on Glacier Bay (REALLY!). We lost out on 25% of the advertised adventure and they refund 15.38. it cost us $5336.00 US (4 people) for the trip, not really understanding Holland's math. Disembarkation was pretty chaotic, with not enough wheel chairs available inside the terminal, they pretty much rushed the people with mobility issues off the ship and dropped them in chairs to wait 45 mins to 1 hr for a second wheelchair to take them the rest of the way. When I contacted customer relations, I was told the president of Holland America issued a memo, that no compensation was allowed to be offered for missing Glacier Bay on this cruise. Interesting to say the least Read Less

We chose the cruise for the itinerary and the timing. One friend could only travel this week. We really wanted to experience Alaska, the glaciers, and the Inside Passage. The food aboard Noordam was outstanding in all areas of the ship. The Lido restaurant offered a large choice for breakfast. I really enjoyed the Filipino bread for breakfast which was more like a donut with a buttery spread served beside the Miso soup pot. I had one each morning. The Vista dining lounge was also a big hit. The food was tasty, presented beautifully, and the service was friendly and professional. We were always certain to receive well-timed service - if we ordered baked potatoes, the sour cream and fixings were always offered right away, if you ordered lobster, the waiter was right there to help shell it for you, etc. Exceptional food service, variety, and presentation. The entertainment also exceeded our expectations. There was a comedian and a magician on board and both were very entertaining. The singers/dancers were typical of a cruise ship. The sets and costumes were colourful, well-maintained, and artistic. We really enjoyed the BB Kings Blues Band. The band played all kinds of music despite the name (which would have kept us away except we walked by one evening and was drawn to the music and energy of the room). It was extremely entertaining - the brass of the saxophone and horn really made the room come alive. The singers were incredible and had an amazing repertoire of several kinds of music from the oldies to Bruno Mars. The female sang a Whitney Houston classic and everyone had to stand it was so amazing and the male singer could sing the pages of a dictionary and be entertaining. You could always get snacks at the café but unfortunately if you just wanted a regular coffee or tea you didn't need to pay extra or you still had to go up to the Lido. Not much is offered during the day to do though when at sea and we would have liked to see much more activities or interesting venues offered (although you could go to a presentation on how to use your binoculars!) We did not take part in any of the ship's excursions but did take shuttles offered on land. In Juneau we took the shuttle to Mendenhaul Glacier which is highly recommended. We also walked to the waterfalls which is only an easy 30 min walk. Make sure you take the walk off of the parking lot by the creek where you may be lucky enough to see bear. We saw a mom and her 2 cubs. We enjoyed a beer at the Red Dog Saloon. Worth a stop as you feel like you are back in the Gold Rush era with costumed servers, sawdust on the floor, and lively, era music from a gentleman on a keyboard. In Skagway we hiked up to the lower Dewey lake. This is a beautiful hike up a mountain path to a mountain lake. It is about 1 1/2 hour return and is well-marked and groomed. It offers a fairly strenuous hike through a pretty forest and offers a viewpoint over the ships docked and a pretty lake. You can also walk around the lake but we felt that would take quite a long time. After lunch we took a Smart bus to a historical cemetery. The walk from the bus stop was still over a mile but the cemetery is worth a look. There is a board with stories of some of the people buried there and is very interesting. There is a very short walk to a waterfall which is beautiful. We walked back to the ship from the cemetery which took about an hour. In Ketchikan we walked up to the fish hatchery. At this time it was the pink salmon that were running. Turns out there were no bears or eagles as they find this type of salmon to be unappetizing. Bears and eagles are salmon snobs - who knew? This was disappointing but we did see lots of fish and seals by Creek Street. The hatchery didn't offer a lot but the girl working there was a fountain of knowledge and readily shared her insights and passion for the fish. We finished by walking back to town along Creek Street. We stopped at the Fish House for chowder and a beer sampler. We saw lots of dolphins on the cruise, some otters, and we did see some whales but unfortunately the whales weren't very close and really just saw the blowholes or a flash of black. I think if we went earlier in the month we would have seen more wildlife. We unfortunately had to turn back in Glacier Bay due to a medical emergency so we didn't get to go see the glaciers. Will definitely have to return there is so much we didn't get to see. Read Less