Greetings everyone! Yesterday (9/15/22), we got to experience a truly amazing day on Norwegian (NCL) Encore. Glacier Bay National Park was on our itinerary and I was very excited! And I am happy to report, that the day actually exceeded my expectations!
To prepare for the day, Norwegian Cruise Line provided Glacier Bay National Park maps in the cabins on the night of 9/14/22, as well as the Freestyle Daily which provided insight into how the day would go.
My alarm ⏰️ went off at 6:15 am, and I got up enthusiastically! I got ready and headed up to the Observation Lounge on Deck 15 for the day’s first activity – Morning Chat with Ranger Colleen!
She explained that she and the Park Ranger team boarded the NCL Encore at approximately 6am. They even brought some Glacier Bay National Park souvenirs to sell. So neat!
Christopher & I grabbed a quick breakfast in the Observation Lounge when the chat was over. During the chat, Ranger Colleen said that the bow of the ship was open as a viewing deck. After breakfast, we went to check it out.
When we arrived to the bow on Deck 8, we were pleasantly surprised to be welcomed with Hot Chocolate and a large coffee station. What a great gesture! We saw many more of these setups throughout the day on the open decks – Deck 8, Deck 15, Deck 16, etc.
I went to Starbucks on Deck 6 to get my Pumpkin Spice Latte, to get ready for our entrance into Glacier Bay National Park. We chose to spend the day, in the comfort of our balcony cabin. We were located on the port side, and this was a great location.
We bundled up and headed outside. The temperature was in the low 40s. I wore a hoodie and then my Columbia jacket with hood. You’ll see more of my attire later in the post. I definitely recommend layers, when dressing in Alaska.
The fog was pretty thick, and it was cloudy, but in the distance, you could see a clearning in the sky and the sun shining! That’s the direction that we were headed.
During our time in Glacier Bay National Park, we saw three glaciers, amazing scenery, and so many otters!!
The first two glaciers that we saw were Reid Glacier & Lamplugh Glacier. Note: Ranger Allie narrated our journey through the park, and it was broadcast on the PA system, staterooms TVs throughout the ship.
Then, we turned into John’s Hopkins Inlet, to see the absolutely stunning – John’s Hopkins Glacier, which is 1 mile wide.
We spent about 1 hour at the John’s Hopkins Glacier. The captain slowly spins the ship 360 degrees to give everyone a chance to see the glacier. We got to witness glacier calving, which means that large ice pieces of the glacier fall into the water. It is accompanied by a loud thundering sound. It is incredible to see and hear.
After our time in John’s Hopkins inlet, we started to make our exit, and went by Lamplugh Glacier again. At this point, I made my way up to the pool deck. They were serving a special treat – Alaskan Fresh Salmon Chowder!
At 12:30 pm, it was time for a presentation in the Encore Theater, by the Park Ranger. It was fun & informative. At the same time, another ranger was doing a Jr. Ranger activity with the kids, in Q Texas Smokehouse.
Ranger Allie, continued to narrate our journey out of the park, and pointed out a popular spot that Stellar Sea Lions hang out – Marble Island. There were hundreds of Sea Lions that we were able to view through our binoculars.
The day ended with a gorgeous rainbow!!
Norwegian Cruise Line did a FANTASTIC job with our #GlacierBay day. The day exceeded my expectations!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From the park ranger team, gift shop setup, narrations throughout the morning, hot coffee and hot chocolate stations all throughout the ship on open decks, presentations and JR Ranger programs for kids, to the Alaskan Salmon Chowder for lunch and and Alaskan Favorites dinner menu in the buffet. WONDERFUL JOB! ❤️
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As I’m reading this I’m thinking this all sounds so familiar. We were on this exact cruise with you
That’s awesome! We loved this cruise!