Best day for Cagney's

[Fredkelk]

I will be on the Spirit Alaska cruise in June. Is there a better day to schedule my dinner at Cagney's, at sea days or port days? We start in Seward, with stops in Valdez, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Fredkelk That is going to be such a wonderful cruise; those stops sound incredible! I'm sure any day would be a good day for dinner at Cagney's Steakhouse. The menu looks delicious.  https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Cagney's Fleet Dinner Menu_Premium Cut Tomahawk_1.pdf

Personally, I prefer to book my dinner reservations on port days because it's generally less crowded, but making dinner reservations on sea days can also be nice because you don't have to rush back from the port of call to get ready for dinner. It also depends on how late in the evening you will be in the port. You may want to have a nice dinner off-ship if guests are allowed to stay at the port longer in the evening hours. 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Fredkelk I would say if you could book on a port day in the evening while still docked, try to get a window seat and enjoy the beauty of the port from the window while dining. This experience would obviously require some planning to make sure you got a great table, that could give you the perfect views to accomplish this dining experience. The most important thing though is truly good food, in good company.

[Fredkelk]

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback. I will book on port days. I am really looking forward to this cruisetour. I haven't cruised in about 10 years and never before with Norwegian.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Fredkelk You are welcome! I'm excited about your cruisetour too. I can't believe you haven't cruised in 10 years! Why did it take you so long to get back to cruising? I get the itch if I don't go for a year. Every other vacation just doesn't seem as relaxing. I try to take family trips and we rent larger houses in large groups, but I still end up cooking and cleaning on vacation. 

One thing I don't know if you are aware of, being this is your first time with Norwegian Cruise Line, is that the cruise line is requiring pre-cruise entertainment reservations. Be sure to book your entertainment reservations ahead of time so you can have access to all of the fun onboard!

[Fredkelk]

@Cruising Caribbean I enjoy the cruises I have taken over the years but my house has wheels. 🙂 I live in a Winnebago motorhome and love driving it and touring the US. It's land cruising I guess. I was scheduled to go to AK in the motorhome in 2020 but that trip was cancelled. I still plan to visit AK sometime in the RV but for now the cruisetour is best for me to see the most popular areas of the state. I do enjoy cruising but I guess I like RVing a little more. I am really looking forward to this AK cruise and already talking with friends about another cruise next year. This is my first NCL cruise so looking forward to that also. 

All tips and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Fredkelk That's a great way to live! I would imagine you have the national park pass as I do. It's so worth it if you are able to travel and experience many national parks as you go. I think cruising is a great alternative to using your RV to get around. How long have you enjoyed living out of Winnebago? It seems like such a great way to explore the world. Many of my friends rent them for a couple of weeks at a time, but they are not cheap to rent! Sometimes, depending on the weather in Alaska, the ports of call have to be skipped, but I truly hope you get to visit all of them. Here are some great options to experience while in Skagway! https://www.cruisehive.com/15-ideal-things-to-do-in-skagway-alaska/55307 Have you booked any excursions yet?

[Fredkelk]

@Cruising Caribbean Thank you for the great link for Skagway! I haven't decided on excursions there yet so this will be a big help. I do have a national park pass for old people. It's great because it also gives a 50% discount on NPS and other federal lands camping. I sold my house in 2001 and have never looked back. For me it is a great way to live and travel. A big bonus is I now have friends all over the country. I agree that cruising is a great alternative.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Fredkelk I'm curious what the difference is between a regular national park pass and the one for old people. That's a significant discount! It sounds like living out of an RV is significantly cheaper when you reach the "old people" status. Parking an RV at a campsite with hookups can be quite hefty. Friends all over the country sound great! I love the flexibility of your lifestyle! Don't miss out on skimming through this article to find some optimal things to do in Juneau. https://www.cruisehive.com/best-ways-to-enjoy-juneau-alaska-during-a-cruise/25345 Juneau seems to get lots of cruise traffic and everyone enjoys it! It's on my bucket list.

[Fredkelk]

@Kendall James-VargasThank you for the link for Juneau! The regular national park pass is a yearly pass and only covers entrance fees. The senior pass is a lifetime pass for anyone over 62, which I think now costs $80. Besides free park entry, it is also good for discounts for some park activities charging a fee (not all), and camping fees for the parks, Corps of Engineer parks and some other federal lands. Some states also accept the Senior pass for their state parks camping. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@FredkelkThe senior pass seems worth the extra $80 if you use it constantly when parking your RV overnight. Do you generally stay at specific sites long-term? My friends who enjoy camping have told me long-term stays can come at a discounted rate, which helps with the overhead cost! That's really great to know. Thanks for sharing the inside details on the senior pass. I was bummed today when I went into Rocky Mountain National Park and realized my park pass only works per car not per named person on the pass. I was driving my car and my husband was driving his own. That's one thing you don't have to worry about with cruising! It's pretty much all-inclusive. 

[Fredkelk]

@Kendall James-Vargas I do think the fee for the pass is worth it if one visits federal sites often or even yearly. I think of the fees as excursions on cruise ships except the fee per car entry. Each person needs to pay the fee. Carload only works for entry and some parks still require each person in a car to have a pass or pay. That is not common though. Long term stays are usually less expensive. Most public parks do not allow long term stays or don't offer discounts, but their costs are usually less than privately owned parks. I spend the winter at the same spot in FL doing volunteer work. We have a park here for volunteers only. I also spend a month or two visiting family in PA where I can park at a family member's home. Otherwise when travel I usually stay 1-3 weeks. I prefer public parks rather than privately owned parks because I like the rustic settings of public parks and never use things like pools, games areas etc in private parks.  There are several membership companies who work with RV parks to offer discounts or offer free parking at places like wineries, farms and homes that can also save money.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Fredkelk That's really good to know! Florida is the best place to spend the winters, the summer definitely can be hot though. I have noticed volunteers that work in the state park or campsite and from my knowledge they actually can earn a free stay! Is that some of the volunteer work you do? If so that's a really great way to extend your stay on a budget. I also really enjoy public parks. Have you ever adventured to any of the springs in Florida? I used to live in relatively close proximity to De Leon Springs, and I couldn't recommend it more for a warm day. The old sugar mill restaurant in the park is so fun and delicious! Reminiscing on those adventures makes me want to go visit again.

[Fredkelk]

@Kendall James-Vargas Many parks, even privately owned ones, use workcampers who receive camping in exchange for work at the park. I have health problems which keep me from doing that type of work, although I have done NPS visitor center host in the past. There is so much to see and do in Florida. I have enjoyed visiting springs.

[3Sisters]

@Fredkelk You sure know your stuff about traveling through the U.S.! I'm curious, what are some of your favorite spots to camp? I would love to take a month to explore the midwest in an RV. Do you know if you can park your RV in the traditional parking lots at the port? I'm sure there is outdoor parking at the port that could work.

[Fredkelk]

@3Sisters It's hard to pick favorite spots but I do love spending time in our national and state parks. I really don't know about parking RV in port lots but I don't see why it couldn't be done. When I go on my Alaska cruisetour I will be leaving my "house" at a friends home. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Fredkelk For safety and convenience, I think leaving your "home" at a friend's residence will be the best choice. You never know what could happen to it while unattended in a parking spot. Last year a port parking area in Norfolk, VA was vandalized, and it was the responsibility of the car owners to take care of the damages. Passengers were very frustrated when they returned back from their cruise. https://www.cruisehive.com/passengers-return-to-damaged-vehicles-after-parking-for-carnival-cruise/76522

Edited March 16, 2023 by Kendall James-Vargas