Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship First-hand Expert Review
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Our full review of this excursion will be coming soon. Half awake, I did my usual morning routine for coffee and snacks. The weather outside looked miserable today, with steady rain, gray skies, and dense fog. Following lunch, the Princess got a Starbucks, and I found my way up to the Observation Lounge for a hot coffee. As we had come to expect, there was not an empty seat in the Lounge. So, we decided to watch the sail away from the Waterfront.
A Few Tips for Debarkation Morning
I took my first Norwegian cruise after more than a decade. Here are my honest thoughts - Cruise Blog
I took my first Norwegian cruise after more than a decade. Here are my honest thoughts.
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With the nice weather still in full effect, we grabbed some cocktails from the Sugarcane Mojito bar and relaxed on the couches on the Waterfront for a while. While we are fans of this restaurant and the food, the flat fee charge of $14.95 is too steep in our opinion. On other ships, the menu is/was priced a la carte, which makes more sense as the portions are quite large, and there was no way we could remotely finish all that we ordered. As the Princess said, we had to get our money’s worth, which meant ordering an appetizer and an entree. So, this included an order of the Volcano Nachos, a Cobb salad, fish tacos, and the grilled chicken sandwich.
A Ship of the Night
Drop off areas are limited, but once you find a spot to stop, the porters are right there to help out. With thrilling water slides that shoot you out over the open ocean, laser tag, and Go-Karts, the Bliss is two parts ship and one part amusement park. Note that any outside activity is weather dependent and will be closed if it’s too cold and/or rainy. But the worst part was when the Captain came out and, even though I was sitting second row center, didn’t even acknowledge my week-long attempts at seduction with a little wink or nod or some other sign that he knew I existed. This afternoon I lunched at The Local (complimentary pub restaurant) where I ordered the Reuben with no corned beef (because there isn’t a single vegetarian entree on the menu). But I was too embarrassed to order it like that so I was like, “can I get the artisan grilled cheese?
Day 4: Juneau
There is a $9.95 + 20% service charge per room service order (but you can order as much as you want). Anyway, if you need me I’m in bed crying into my mac ‘n cheese and working up the strength to venture out to Coco’s to spend my last $11 in onboard credit on a giant ice cream sundae to further eat my sorrows. When I checked the forecast this morning it looked like rain and temps hovering around 35 degrees so I suited up like a deep sea fisherman risking life and limb for her daily catch despite a promised hurricane. I sought out some standing puddles just so my rain boots wouldn’t start looking for alternate employment. But from the inside after I’d already sweat through three base layers.
Endicott Arm Fjord
We had sampled a few items from the menu on our preview cruise and were eager to get back. One of the many benefits of cruising with a group is being able to order a variety of things and sample the different dishes. For those who are a bit worried about cruising to the region, NCL Bliss is a breath of fresh air. Now, with its sister ship Norwegian Joy cruising in Alaska next year, there are two opportunities to test out the Breakaway-Plus class.
With a small closet and only a few storage areas, we were lucky that we had our shoe organizer and magnetic hooks to give us additional storage options. Still, we tried to snap a few more pictures before other cruisers boarded the ship. During our travels, we bumped into another (much more famous) travel writer, Sherry from Cruisemaven.com. We had met on an influencer trip on NCL Getaway the previous year, so it was a pleasant surprise. We flew into Seattle the day before the cruise, reserving a harbor view king room at the Edgewater.
I’ve cruised there so many times locals now wave to me, ask me to take in their mail when they travel, and flag me down to see if they can borrow a cup of sugar to which I reply, “you know I don’t actually live here, right? ” I’ve cruised to Alaska dozens and dozens of times on nearly every cruise line and itinerary. That said, the odd pace of his show meant the four of us could discuss the trip and our thoughts on everything so far. Given the cruise was almost over, it was interesting to hear everyone’s perspectives about the shows, dining, and the ship itself. When the lights came up a bit before midnight, it was our cue to leave.
Norwegian (NCL) Bliss Review and Alaska Trip Report 2024
It was a bittersweet moment as we had an amazing cruise, but it was also the realization that it was all coming to a close. These Instagram-worthy desserts were as delicious as they looked. It was tough to pick a favorite, but I was more a fan of the milkshake than the sundae. Given the costs, I think it would be more reasonable to split one item the next time. While pricey, any chocolate lover needs to stop in to Coco’s at least once during the cruise.
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Only time will tell how families respond but so far there are plenty of families with members under 21-years-old already booked for Alaska and the Caribbean. Don't let pictures of the go-karts and water slides fool you. And, family-friendly features seem less visible (the one exception being the kids splash zone on Deck 16). Watch out wolf, you’ve got competition from the Bliss whenit comes to being big and bad.
This hotel is located right next to Pier 66 allowing us to walk to the pier in the morning. Really the one thing to be aware of is that NCL leaves out of Pier 66 in downtown Seattle and traffic getting in and out is bad (one way in, one way out). If you are driving to the pier, expect it to take an extra 20 minutes and if a train comes through, add another 10 minutes.
She even wanted to order dessert, but thankfully she reconsidered after we were half-way through the meal. Today’s shore excursion was the Mendenhall Glacier Explorer, giving us two hours at the Mendenhall National Park. So, this was not exactly the weather we were hoping for today. We both enjoyed our meals, which included another round of the Deviled Eggs and Turkey for the Princess, as well as a test of the loaded fries. I went all in with the Pitmaster Platter, along with a few apps of course. The pork spareribs remain my hands-down favorite with the brisket and chicken being strong contenders.
Some of us decided to get lunch at the Local, which is just one deck up. We got stuck at a bar top table in not the best location, but we did have a very attentive waitress who made sure our customized meals were correct. Hats off to Norwegian Cruise Line for ensuring proper staffing so that the crew could provide personalized service.
Whoever said, “there’s nothing 6 gallons of ice cream can’t fix” has clearly never had to disembark a cruise ship, but I did my best to enjoy my giant sundae from Coco’s anyway. I noted that prices have gone up at Coco’s since I cruised last. I hope I don’t exceed my onboard spending budget of zero dollars. After dinner I attended Jersey Boys which is one of the things that keep me coming back to the NCL mega ships despite the 400 flights of stairs I have to climb each day. The full-length broadway style shows, including this one, are phenomenal and seeing them for free (well, sort of)…at sea…feels like the ultimate life hack. Honestly, one night in a hotel room in New York plus dinner and show tickets would likely cost more than my entire cruise fare.
However, there is a yogurt bar, hot cinnamon rolls, and a small (but fabulous) Indian section (located on the port side toward the back) that you don’t want to overlook. If you want a more serene spot to enjoy your buffet breakfast without having to walk all the way back to your cabin, go one deck down to the Observable Lounge. It’s not crowded in the morning, there are plenty of nice spots to eat, there are beverage stations, and there’s a continental breakfast set up to supplement your buffet items (fruit, pastries, cereal, deli meats, and cheese). Arriving at the airport, we had our bags checked and were through security with plenty of time to do some social media and blogging. Unexpectedly, the restaurant manager stopped by our table at Teppanyaki to ask how everything was going during the cruise.
” to which he responded “Manilla,” to which I replied, “oh, BIG city” and he moved on to his next table. Anyway, I walked through downtown for research purposes (I’m working on an article for the blog about Alaska cruising in April) and then headed out for today’s hike on the Perseverance Trail. I don’t hike this trail as often when I visit Juneau because I usually opt to hike to the top of the Mt Roberts tram. But the tram wasn’t open for the season yet, so I wouldn’t have the option of taking it back down the mountain (which I don’t usually do anyway, but psychologically I like having the option). While the buffet is large, the selection of items mostly just repeats in many different stations.
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