Table Of Content
We began our usual picture-taking process as it has just become reflexive at this point. Having sailed on Bliss back in May, we did already have plenty of photos. So, when we heard that the entertainment reservations were already open in Q, we opted to delay the photo tour. Being crazy cruise bloggers, we were up at 5 am to watch NCL Bliss sail into port.
A Few Tips for Debarkation Morning
There was a one-hour long presentation at the beginning of the cruise, but it was mostly a glorified shore excursion sales talk. We would have liked to see activities or classes that focused on the different ports or the history and culture of the region. Instead, many of the daily activities included your typical trivia and demonstrations or several for-fee offerings like painting classes, wine tastings, and other premium events. The ship holds just over 4,000 passengers but disperses the crowds nicely at most times.
Night 2 Dinner in the MDR
It wasn’t scheduled to open for another 20 minutes, but this would be the perfect place for our last celebratory drink. We stayed until 11 pm or so when we all decided to call it a night. We were the only ones flying out the next morning as one couple lives in Seattle and the other couple was flying back east on Sunday.
Day 2: Sea day
By way of a quick introduction, I’m Sarah, also known as “Prof. Cruise.” I retired after 10 years as a college professor to pursue my passion for cruising, moving across the country to Seattle where I now live downtown and within a five minute walk of the NCL cruise terminal at Pier 66. My passion for cruising is only equaled by my love for Alaska.
Norwegian Encore review: A cruise ship guide - The Points Guy
Norwegian Encore review: A cruise ship guide.
Posted: Tue, 15 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
This time around, we selected the Magnificent Misty Fjords by Seaplane excursion. With the shops open, now was as good of a time as any to secure our normal cruise ship purchases, a ship ornament for our holiday tree and an inaugural season t-shirt. I was a bit disappointed in the clothing selections, but I still managed to find a passable shirt in my size. One thing we did miss on Norwegian Bliss was enrichment talks and port specific activities. Our previous cruise on Celebrity included a naturalist and historian who gave standing room only talks almost every day.
So I was NOT going to miss it tonight even though we were scheduled to cruise through the Endicott Arm fjord during dinner. It was so quiet in the dining room it was like being in church and let me tell you, that cornbread was a religious experience. Our flight left on time, and we arrived almost 25 minutes early. Getting in our car, it was now an hour drive back home. We pretty much crashed immediately and began dreaming of our next cruise on Symphony of the Seas which is currently 2 months away. It seemed just like yesterday we were boarding Norwegian Bliss.
The third takes you to all the dining menus (MDR, specialty, fast casual, room service, and more) I collected onboard. As always, feel free to ask questions or share your own experiences on the Bliss to the comments. The service tonight was…off, until it got really comically bad.
It would have been faster but it was clear that check in agents were being trained and were still learning the systems. We would have been on the boat immediately, but the Coast Guard did an inspection and that held us in the waiting pen until almost 11 AM. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Rates are in USD and valid for US and Canadian residents only. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. With the Malting’s Whiskey bar packed, we were able to grab a couch at our go-to Sugarcane Mojito bar.
We were really making use of the Norwegian Ultimate Beverage Package. Our luggage was nowhere to be seen yet, but at least we could unload our carry-ons and take some pictures of the cabin. While we knew what to expect, the cabins on Norwegian Cruise Line ships just seem so much narrower than other cruise lines.
The sun was shining and there were few clouds in the sky. Between the four of us, we ordered a number of different options, including some sushi, pot stickers, rice, calamari, chicken (of course), and the signature Green Tea Brownie for dessert. Still, we feel that the food is worth the additional cost.
Played poker at the casino and had some amazing meals.alaska was beautiful and the people were friendly and welcoming . Our balcony suite was very comfortable and our steward was very attentive. We spent a lot of time on the balcony, the scenery was as amazing as you would imagine. In case you haven’t heard, the Bliss is a huge ass ship. And while there’s a ton to do for those not content to relax and eat for 168 hours straight (me), it’s not ideal for anyone looking for a more serene experience.
Now seems like a good time to educate you on what we Seattleites consider formal. This is pretty much as dressed up as we get with rain boots mandatory from about October through May (hat is optional, but I hate being cold and this is Alaska in April, so I figure better safe). For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. In addition, average cruise prices are updated nightly. Drop us an anchor below to tell us about your experiences cruising on this amazing new vessel. Back to our room, we were surprised that we did indeed get a towel animal for the final evening.
This late lunch was over by 4 pm, just as the ship was docking. Saying goodbye to the Local, we went back to our room to do a little packing before heading out. Wanting to catch the farewell Beatles tribute show at 2 pm, we rushed back to our cabin to make another costume change. Arriving to the show just as it was starting, we were able to find seats off to the side without too much difficulty. So instead, we somehow secured seats in the Observation Lounge to do some blogging and social media for a little while, grabbing a couple snacks in the process.
Norwegian Bliss is a beautiful vessel with a refined feel you don't normally expect to find on such a megaship. Its most striking feature is the 20,000-square-foot Observation Lounge, which dominates the entire forward section of the ship on Deck 15. It's simply a refined indoor haven of calm, and we've never seen anything quite like it on a mainstream ship. If you’re fortunate, as I am, to have visited Alaska many times, the Bliss is awesome on port days when most passengers are off the ship. In fact, on my first cruise on the Bliss with my son, we stayed onboard for the majority of our time in port and practically had the entire ship to ourselves. That’s when the Bliss is really fun and you can fully appreciate all she has to offer!
We stuck around to hear a few more songs, and then all of us decided it was time to call it a night. Dinner took about 90 minutes, meaning we were getting out just as the Welcome Aboard show was starting. Usually, this show is not well attended, so we figured we could still find some seats if we walked in late. The theater was packed, and we were stuck standing at the top of the balcony to watch the remainder of the show.
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