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A Brutally Honest NORWEGIAN ENCORE Review (From An NCL First-Timer)

Zach the Traveling Man
Zach the Traveling Man
πŸ₯ˆExpert
πŸ‘οΈ 310K viewsπŸ“… 3 years ago⏱️ 31:22

Key Moments

Editorial Summary

The creator provides a detailed review of his first experience sailing on the Norwegian Encore during an Alaskan itinerary. Using a five-step evaluation process, he assesses the ship, taste, entertainment, ports, and service. He describes the ship as a beautiful, modern vessel and highly recommends the studio rooms designed for solo travelers, though he notes the interior cabins can become warm. The food received high marks, particularly the specialty dining at Los Lobos and Q Smokehouse, as well as the main dining room barbecue. However, the creator highlights significant issues with crowd management, noting long lines for elevators, difficulty with the mobile app, and seating shortages in the buffet. Entertainment was described as limited, with the Choir of Man being the standout production. While the Alaskan ports were visually stunning, the creator suggests that large mega-ships may struggle with logistics in these locations. He concludes with an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5, noting that while the service felt impersonal and rushed, he would still sail with Norwegian Cruise Line again.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.

How This Review Compares

This review's score for Norwegian Encore
A Nibble
All-time creator consensus for Norwegian Encore
A Nibble

This review is more critical than the all-time creator consensus.

What This Creator Said
Creator RecommendsFull Ship ReviewπŸ₯ˆExpert Creator
🧍 Best for SoloAlaska · SummerFrom SeattleFirst-Time Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

Norwegian Encore is a beautiful ship when I first saw her when I got to the pier the morning of my cruise she's a huge ship

I was shocked at the entertainment on board Norwegian Encore there wasn't that much of it

I will say a warning to you here if you do want to go to Alaska do not go on a mega ship do not go on the Norwegian Encore

Creator's Tips & Advice

βœ“Book reservations for entertainment and dining as early as possible, preferably before the cruise.
βœ“Consider a smaller ship for Alaska itineraries to avoid overcrowding and long lines.
βœ“Use the ship's app for reservations, but be prepared for technical issues.

πŸ†•New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Overcrowding on a large ship β€” Choose a smaller ship for Alaska to avoid long lines and have more time for excursions.
Food quality on NCL β€” Be pleasantly surprised; the food was excellent, especially at specialty restaurants like Los Lobos and Q Smokehouse.
Solo travel experience β€” Studio rooms are fantastic for solo cruisers, but they can get warm; recommend booking one.

Questions This Creator Answers

QIs Norwegian Encore a good ship for a first-time NCL cruiser?
QHow does the food on Norwegian Encore compare to other cruise lines?
QWhat are the crowd management issues on Norwegian Encore?
QIs the Alaska itinerary on Norwegian Encore worth it?

Topics Covered

Crowd Capacity4 Sad BaconWifi Connectivity3Β½ Sad BaconService Crew1Β½ Sad BaconDining Specialty3 Happy BaconShip Condition4 Happy BaconEntertainment Shows4Β½ Happy BaconPort Destination4Β½ Happy BaconItinerary Route2 Happy Bacon

Port Highlights

Juneau3Β½ Happy Bacon
Top: Gold Belt Tram
Ketchikan2Β½ Sad Bacon
Top: Totem Bight State Park
Skagway4Β½ Happy Bacon
Top: Skagway Streetcar
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon β€” creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon β€” creators took issue with this
Meh β€” no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = β€œmeh”, 5 = β€œbacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology

Video content sourced from the creator's original upload. Watch on YouTube