Welcome back to Byte Size Cruises! If this is your first time joining us, we are glad your'e here. We are a small travel agency out of Philadelphia, PA and we specialize in ALL things cruising! If you enjoy cruise vacations or you are interested in learning more about them, you're in the right place. Our goal here is to share the best and most up to date information with you so you can craft your best cruise vacation! If you would like to check out this post on our YouTube channel, click here.
The Byte Size team was just on the NCL Encore and we had an amazing time! After spending time on this ship, here are the TOP 10 THINGS you MUST DO when you cruise on the Encore. Most of these things will be included in your cruise fare, a few of them will be an additional cost.
1. Go see Choir of Man. This show is amazing and in our opinion one of the best production style shows you will ever see on a cruise. We also recommend that you sign up to see it on the first night of your cruise. Sometimes these types of shows get cancelled and this way if it does you'll have another chance to see it later in your cruise.
2. Enjoy a quiet morning in the Observation Lounge. This is a beautiful and peaceful space with amazing views. If it's a day you are at sea or you are sailing into port, this is a wonderful way to great the sun and relax. They do serve coffee and light snacks at breakfast here, so grab some and enjoy the sunrise.
3. Grab some late night snacks at the Local. We love the Local. If you have ever been on other NCL ships, it is called the O'Sheehan's, and the food here is great. It's great to have someplace to go late night after a show and chill out.
4. The Speedway. This is the first activity on our list that will cost you a few extra dollars, but it's totally worth it. Go ride the Speedway Racetrack! It's $15 for ten laps around the track and these go carts go pretty fast. We've been on several cruise ships that have race tracks and it is always a fun thing to do. Definitely worth the photos and memories!
5. Go see the Wheel of Fortune! So, this show is free to watch and costs some extra dollars if you want to play. The game itself is a bit like bingo, not like you're playing traditional Wheel of Fortune if you're sitting in the audience. Of course, if you pay to play and then win, you get a prize! Whether you play or just watch, it is a ton of fun and definitely worth checking out.
6. The Beetles Invasion Show at the Cavern Club. When you're going to go see this show, we definitely recommend that you get there early (like 45 min to an hour ahead of the show start time.) This venue fills up quickly and if you aren't there within 30 minutes to the show's start time you most likely will not get a seat. If you're a fan of the Beetles in any way, this is a must see show.
7. Music at the Q Texas Smokehouse. Grab a drink and head down to have some fun while listening to music at this restaurant. While this is a specialty dining restaurant and costs extra to eat at, you can always just go in to enjoy the music and bring drinks from another part of the ship. They have bands playing here just about every night and it's a fun spot to hang out. The bands that play here are really good and they play some country and some pop music.
8. Tableside Guacamole at Los Lobos. This will cost you a bit extra beyond the standard cruise fare, but it is definitely worth it. You don't have to have a dining package, you can just go up and get the guacamole if this is interesting to you. They make the guacamole right at your table and can cater the spiciness level to your liking. If you do have the dining package, we highly suggest trying out this restaurant. All the food we ate here was delicious and the vibe is great.
9. Go to the Farewell Show in the theater. This show never disappoints on NCL and we really appreciate that they do this for the passengers. There's a special song that they sing at the end of the show and they invite all the staff to come to the stage and be a part of saying goodbye to you as a NCL passenger. These people work really hard for us all week and it's really nice to have the opportunity to say thank you to them.
10. Last but not least... Go to Food Republic! This one does cost a bit extra as it is a specialty dining restaurant, however it is delicious and a unique experience. If you do have a dining package, it is included in your fare! With the package, you can choose any four items from the menu. They have all kinds of asian fusion here and the desserts are delicious too. Check it out!
Those are our TOP 10 things you MUST DO on the NCL Encore! Have you sailed on the Encore? Would you add anything to the list? Comment below! We would love to hear from you.