Cruising Alaska in May on Norwegian Encore: Full Guide & Itinerary
- shashank bangera
- May 18
- 12 min read
Updated: May 21
Overview: Why We Chose May (and Why You Might Want To)
Just returned from a truly magical 7-day Alaska cruise on the Norwegian Encore, sailing from May 11-18. We opted for a mid-May departure, which falls right in the shoulder season. This proved to be a smart choice: we experienced fewer crowds, found excellent availability for specialty dining and excursions, and were able to secure a fantastic balcony cabin at a good price. While the weather can be a bit unpredictable this time of year—expect chilly mornings, mist, and occasional light rain—the trade-off is a more serene, less touristy Alaska. For us, it was a total win.
Ready to see why this trip was such an unforgettable experience? Let's dive in!
Things to Know About the Norwegian Encore (Before You Go)
Cabins & Accommodations
Balcony rooms are 100% worth it—especially for Alaska, where the views are the experience. If you’re solo, Encore has Studio cabins with exclusive access to a lounge just for solo travelers.
Dining (freestyle, and you'll love it)
Included Options: The Garden Café is the ship's sprawling main buffet, offering an incredibly diverse selection from Indian curries to fresh fruit. For more traditional sit-down meals, Savor, Taste, and The Manhattan Room provide elegant settings with rotating menus. The Local Bar & Grill is perfect for casual bites and late-night cravings.
Specialty Restaurants: For an elevated dining experience, the ship boasts fantastic options like Food Republic (Asian fusion), Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro (French), Onda by Scarpetta (Italian), and more.
Pro Tip: If you plan on dining at a few of these upscale spots, make sure to leverage Norwegian's "More At Sea" program. This package, often included or available for purchase, typically bundles benefits like Specialty Dining, which can lead to significant savings compared to paying for each meal individually
Entertainment & Amenities: Ship Life Delights
The Choir of Man: This show is a must-watch! It's an energetic, high-quality production set in a lively pub, featuring great music, foot-stomping choreography, and yes—free beer served during the pre-show.
Atrium Events: The ship's central Atrium is always buzzing with activity, from lively trivia and game shows to impromptu dance-offs, led by the engaging cruise director and entertainment team.
Encore Talent Show: A heartwarming showcase of the crew's hidden talents, from singing to juggling – it's a genuine highlight.
Mandara Spa Thermal Suite: A sanctuary of relaxation with heated loungers, an ocean-view sauna, a refreshing snow room, and a hydrotherapy pool. Book a pass early, as it's very popular. The gym is also fully equipped with various group classes.
Shopping: Deck 8 is your go-to for retail therapy, offering duty-free liquor, designer brands, and NCL merchandise.
NCL App: Download this essential app for making restaurant bookings, checking activity schedules, and even messaging fellow travelers onboard.
Wi-Fi: While available, it's typically pricey and not super fast. Alaska is a perfect place to embrace the disconnect and truly be present.
Planning your own Alaska cruise Norwegian Encore itinerary? Below is our exact day-by-day schedule you can copy or tweak.
Day-by-Day Diary
Day 1: Boarding in Seattle - A Seamless Start
We arrived at Pier 66 almost an hour before our scheduled 11:30 AM boarding time and were lucky—no crowds, no delays. That’s not always the case, so consider it a bonus. We dropped off our bags, cleared security, breezed through a mini immigration, and were onboard in under 30 minutes.
We headed to the muster drill, which took just a minute. This freed us up to immediately make our dining reservations. Pro Tip: Being an early boarder really does give you the best pick of times! Lunch at TASTE was an elegant and satisfying way to begin our culinary journey. Around 1:30 PM, we received the notification that our rooms were ready. Our balcony cabin on Deck 15 was clean, modern, and already offered those unbeatable Seattle views.
Dinner was at The Manhattan Room, with live music and classic service. We ended the day watching the Seattle skyline fade into the distance.
Day 2: At Sea - Ship Exploration & Open Waters
Our first full day onboard was a sea day, which gave us time to really explore the ship and plan our excursions. Breakfast was at the Garden Café, the Encore’s massive buffet. It’s got pretty much everything: Indian curries, Asian stir-fries, an egg station, a salad bar, soups, fresh fruit, burgers, desserts—name it, they’ve got it. Bonus: the views from the floor-to-ceiling windows make even a simple breakfast feel special.
The day was largely spent cruising in open water en route to Juneau, so views were mostly vast stretches of ocean. We used the quiet to explore the ship’s offerings—bars, lounges, thermal spa (worth booking a pass if you're into saunas and panoramic hot tubs), and the observation lounge, which quickly became one of our favorite hangouts.
Dinner that night was at Food Republic, one of the specialty restaurants on board. It's a fusion-style tapas spot with digital ordering at your table. The sushi, pork belly bao, and Korean fried chicken were absolute standouts.
Day 3: Juneau - Glaciers, and Kayak Adventures
Another breakfast at Garden Café—with slightly more excitement this time. Around mid-morning, while we were sipping coffee and scanning the waters, we spotted our first whales. Juneau is one of the best spots in Alaska for whale watching, and sure enough, we saw several spouts and tails not too far from the ship. Magical doesn’t even begin to cover it.
The ship docked in Juneau around 2:00 PM, giving us the morning to soak in the breathtaking scenery as we sailed past snow-capped mountains and fjords.
For our excursion, we’d booked independently through Alaska Shore Excursions, which saved us about $70 compared to the onboard offering. Our pick: the Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Adventure. It was a 3.5-hour trip with just 10 other people in our canoe, paddling across the icy blue waters of Mendenhall Lake, surrounded by mountains and glacial ice. Being so close to the glacier—feeling the cold air it generates—was absolutely surreal.
Dinner was back at Garden Café, and after the active afternoon, we were grateful for the casual vibe and endless comfort food options. We ended the night watching the ship slowly pull away from Juneau under a golden twilight.
Day 4: Skagway - Gold Rush History & Scenic Railways
Skagway greeted us early—we docked around 6:00 AM, actually an hour earlier than scheduled. The route from Juneau to Skagway is supposed to be one of the most beautiful legs of the journey, but unfortunately, it happens overnight. That said, we woke up a couple of times in the night just to peek out the balcony—and yes, even in the dark, the towering cliffs and starry skies made for a pretty unforgettable view.
After another hearty breakfast at Garden Café (yes, we’re creatures of habit), we headed out for our excursion: the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad with Klondike Highway Bus Tour. We took a bus up the Klondike Highway and returned via the historic narrow-gauge train. The bus ride up was a photographer’s dream: sweeping vistas, mirror-like lakes, and dramatic alpine scenery, all narrated by a local guide who shared stories about the Gold Rush, Indigenous history, and modern-day Skagway. We stopped at a couple of scenic lookouts along the way, which made the climb even more enjoyable.
At the summit, we boarded the White Pass train for the ride back down. The train hugs the cliffs, crosses sky-high trestle bridges, and dives through tunnels—it’s a slow, scenic descent with constantly jaw-dropping views. Sitting on the right side of the train (if you're heading down to Skagway) gives the best visuals, though every seat has great views.
We got back on the ship in the early afternoon and still had time to stroll through the quaint streets of Skagway—a town that feels like a movie set in the best possible way, with wooden sidewalks and vintage storefronts. ICE CREAM Kone Kompany
Once back on board, we treated ourselves to a spa package that included a full-body massage, scalp massage, and facial—all for $169. Interestingly, we found that booking this deal on the ship turned out to be cheaper than pre-booking before the cruise. Definitely something to keep in mind if you're considering a spa day—sometimes waiting pays off.
Day 5: Glacier Bay - Nature's Grand Masterpiece
I didn’t think anything could top Juneau or Skagway—until today. I’d seen the photos. I’d heard the hype. But nothing—absolutely nothing—prepared me for the raw, humbling beauty of Glacier Bay. It’s not just a place you see—it’s something you feel in your bones. As we cruised deeper, the water itself became a spectacle, a serene turquoise canvas painted with shifting, multi-layered hues that reflected the light in an almost unbelievable way
The ship entered Glacier Bay around 7:00 AM, with the Glacier National Park Rangers boarding earlier to set up in the Observation Lounge. They handed out maps, answered questions, and gave a quick morning talk about what we’d see—definitely worth attending if you're up early.
We spent about 6 hours cruising the bay, visiting three glaciers:
Margerie Glacier – iconic and frequently calving.
The iconic Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay Lamplugh Glacier – known for its vivid blue ice.
Quiet awe at Lamplugh Glacier Johns Hopkins Glacier – set deeper in the bay, surrounded by dramatic peaks.
The remote majesty of Johns Hopkins Glacier
The ship did full 180° turns twice at each glacier so everyone had a great view—but honestly, if you’ve booked a balcony cabin, you barely need to leave it. We spent most of the day right there, sipping coffee, taking photos, and spotting wildlife: sea otters, seals on icebergs, whales, and bald eagles overhead. The glassy turquoise water, misty mountains, and the sheer silence made it surreal.
We did check out Deck 8 briefly for a lower-angle view, and later moved up to Deck 16 by the pool when the ship edged very close to Lamplugh Glacier. That top-deck view was worth it.
Even after the ship sailed out, the magic of Glacier Bay lingered. It's hands-down the most awe-inspiring part of the cruise—and a must-have on any Alaska itinerary.
Day 6: Ketchikan
We woke up still riding the high from Glacier Bay. Honestly, it was hard to believe we had another Alaskan port waiting for us. As we cruised toward Ketchikan, we were greeted with yet more incredible scenery—forested mountain peaks on both sides, mist hanging in the air, and low clouds rolling across the water like something out of a movie.
We didn’t have any excursions booked for the day, so we decided to take things slow and just explore the town. The Encore docked around 7:00 AM at Ward Cove Terminal, which is about 7 miles from downtown Ketchikan. Thankfully, Norwegian provided a free shuttle service to and from the city center, which ran every 10–15 minutes and was super easy to use.
We spent about an hour wandering through downtown Ketchikan—browsing the gift shops, checking out the totem poles, and walking along Creek Street, the town’s most iconic boardwalk lined with colorful buildings on stilts over the creek. It’s touristy, sure, but charming all the same. After a relaxed stroll, we hopped back on the shuttle and headed to the ship for a quiet afternoon.
That evening, we had tickets for one of Norwegian Encore’s most talked-about shows—The Choir of Man. It's set in a lively pub and combines high-energy singing, foot-stomping choreography, and a lot of humor. The performers sing everything from classic rock to Broadway to ballads—live, no backing tracks. And yes, there was real beer served on stage during the pre-show. It's feel-good, interactive, and genuinely one of the best shows you’ll see at sea.
Day 7: Victoria + Final Day Fun - A Grand Farewell
The morning began with a touch of bittersweet emotion—it was our last full day aboard, and the realization that this incredible journey was coming to an end weighed on us. Determined to make the most of every moment, we got up early, had our usual breakfast at the Garden Café, and set out to enjoy everything the ship still had to offer.
One of our favorite hangout spots turned out to be the 6th floor Atrium—it’s always buzzing with activity, thanks to the cruise director and entertainment crew. This morning’s highlight was the Cake Masters event, where the talented ship chefs demonstrated their baking artistry by making a decadent Black Forest cake live on stage. After the presentation, everyone got a chance to sample it—definitely one of the sweetest ways to start the day.
Later, we attended the Encore Talent Show, a special event where crew members showcased their talents—from singing and dancing to music and bottle juggling. It was heartwarming to see the sense of community and how many hidden talents had been sailing alongside us all week. The show concluded with a moving tribute to the ship’s crew, featuring a video montage, music, and a heartfelt speech by the cruise director. It was a reminder of the hundreds of hardworking individuals who made our vacation seamless and memorable—from housekeeping to entertainers, chefs to deckhands. The standing ovation they received felt so well deserved, and honestly, it made the finality of the trip hit even harder.
Post-lunch, we wandered over to Deck 8, which is home to some of the ship’s most popular retail spaces. It’s like a floating boutique mall—with something for every kind of shopper. There’s a duty-free liquor store with great deals on premium spirits, designer boutiques offering brands like TAG Heuer and Swarovski, and a general gift shop stocked with Norwegian Cruise Line souvenirs, clothing, and accessories.
The ship docked in Victoria at 8:00 PM, marking the final port of call on our itinerary. We decided not to disembark this time—having visited Victoria several times before—but if you haven’t been, this stop is an absolute must-do. The city is especially magical at night, with its historic Inner Harbour, Parliament Buildings, and Empress Hotel beautifully lit up. There's a serene charm in strolling along the waterfront or grabbing a coffee downtown as the city glows under the evening sky.
While many passengers headed out to explore the quaint streets and late-night boutiques, we chose to enjoy the calm of the ship one last time—taking in the peaceful hum of the ocean and reflecting on the amazing week we’d had.
Day 8: Until Next Time!
The final day had arrived—and as much as we didn’t want it to end, Norwegian made the disembarkation process smooth and stress-free. Two nights prior, we received clear instructions outlining our options: either tag and check in your luggage the night before, or carry it off yourself in the morning.
We chose to walk off with our own bags, which meant we could disembark in the first batch starting at 6:30 AM. It was early, but quick and efficient. Breakfast was available at the Garden Café, and the vibe on the ship that morning was a mix of quiet goodbyes and last-minute photo ops.
We took one final look around, waved goodbye to the amazing crew, and stepped off the Encore—hearts full and memories made. This was more than just a cruise; it was an experience we’ll be talking about for years.
Alaska Cruise Tips – What We Wish We Knew Before Sailing in May
🧳 What Should I Pack for an Alaska Cruise in May?
Layer like a pro: Weather changes fast. Bring thermals, a warm fleece or down layer, a waterproof jacket, and gloves. You’ll thank yourself when it’s sunny one minute and misty the next.
Don’t forget a throw or blanket: If you have a balcony cabin, you’ll want to soak in the views—but it gets windy and cold. A cozy wrap makes all the difference.
Waterproof boots/shoes: Whether you’re walking in the rain, through muddy trails, or hopping on a boat excursion—dry feet are happy feet.
Comfy sneakers: Great for onboard strolls or drier port days. Alaska isn’t all rugged wilderness—there’s plenty of relaxed exploring, too.
Smart casual outfits: Most dinners on Norwegian Encore are laid-back, but a few restaurants prefer you ditch the hoodies. Pack a nicer outfit or two.
Binoculars = essential: Don’t miss a whale breach or a bald eagle gliding overhead just because you didn’t pack these. Trust me, you’ll use them daily.
Sunglasses: Even on overcast days, glare off the water and glaciers is no joke. Polarized lenses = game changer.
Sunscreen: Surprising, right? But glacier glare + long daylight hours = sneaky sunburns.
📷 Got a Camera? Here’s What to Bring (If You’re Serious About Photography)
A long zoom lens (at least up to 400–600mm) is essential for wildlife. You’ll want that reach to capture whales breaching in the distance, bald eagles soaring, or mountain goats on distant cliffs. I personally carried both the Nikon 100–400mm and 180–600mm telephoto lenses—and was glad to have the flexibility.
A wide-angle lens is just as important for those dramatic glacier landscapes and sweeping fjord shots. I brought the Nikon 24–70mm and 14–30mm, which gave me the range to go from broad vistas to more detailed environmental shots.
Don’t skip the polarizer filter—it makes a big difference in reducing glare off the water and ice, and helps your glacier shots really pop with color and contrast.
Not a gear nerd? No problem. If you’re a casual photographer or just don’t want to lug around multiple lenses, a good bridge camera—like the Sony RX10 IV, Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II or Nikon Coolpix P950—can absolutely deliver stunning shots. These cameras have excellent zoom, solid image quality, and are a great all-in-one solution.
🛏️ Is the Balcony Room Worth It?
1000% Yes. Waking up to misty fjords and drifting icebergs? Unreal. You’ll use it more than you think—especially when you can snuggle under that blanket you packed.
🌊 Should I Worry About Seasickness?
Usually, no. The Inside Passage is fairly calm. But if you’re sensitive, pack Dramamine or wristbands just in case.
🛥️ Excursions: Cruise Line vs. Independent Operators?
Whether to book excursions through the cruise line or an independent operator really comes down to the price difference. Cruise-line excursions are more convenient—you get your tickets delivered to your cabin with clear instructions, and on port days, the ship staff and signage make it incredibly easy to find your group and get to the right place on time. If the price difference is small, the added convenience might be worth it.
However, if the price difference is substantial (20-30% or more), independent operators often provide the same quality tours at a much lower cost. We personally used Alaska Shore Excursions and found their pricing significantly better, always with a crucial return-to-ship guarantee. While not quite as "hand-held" as the ship's tours, independent operators generally have clear meeting points just off the gangway and are perfectly convenient. We wouldn't pay a significant premium just for the slight added convenience of the ship's booking when such great value and reliability exist independently.
Pro tip: Always double-check that third-party operators offer that guarantee—most reputable ones do.
Ready to set sail? Let the Norwegian Encore take you on an adventure that’s part luxury resort, part wilderness odyssey. We came back changed—and we think you will too. Bon voyage! Share your Alaska dreams in the comments below!
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