The First Voyage of the Norwegian Bliss to Alaska

[BirdTravels]

The “shuttles” are full size tour buses. And the majority of people have their luggage stored in the lower luggage compartment (there will be space for a walker).

 

 

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[Aprille]

The “shuttles” are full size tour buses. And the majority of people have their luggage stored in the lower luggage compartment (there will be space for a walker).

 

Thank you very much!

[Shevys]

We sail on the 7th and this review has been really, really helpful. Thank you!

[jergira]

Thank you BirdTravels, this was a great thread to follow. Beautiful pictures, copies of dailies & menus and all around excellent information about the Norwegian Bliss and her inaugural Alaskan cruise. I'm so looking forward to our September cruise on the Bliss.

[BirdTravels]

By chance, have you seen the prices for the canvas painting by you and wine/beer tasting? Just trying to get an idea. Thanks and enjoy your trip!

Canvas By U costs $35 per session. The sessions ran for a little over an hour.

 

They planned 3 sessions on our cruise. The added a fourth based on popularity. All sessions were sold out with a waiting list for no shows.

[usafretiredinal]

Thanks so much for all your extra work!

[Bailey's uncle 111]

:)

The “shuttles” are full size tour buses. And the majority of people have their luggage stored in the lower luggage compartment (there will be space for a walker).:D:D:D

Thanks for taking the time to post, well done, and will improve our Cruise on 6/23.On another post about the Jewel out of Seattle, there was talk about the first day at sea being rough and people feeling a little sea sick, I know the Bliss is much larger and that is one of the reasons my wife is willing to go.Just wondering if anybody noticed any rocking and rolling when they opened the speed up and on the way back to Victoria?

Thanks!!

[BirdTravels]

Since the cruise sails outside Vancouver island on day 2 and 6-7, you are in open ocean. All ships will move in rough seas. Higher decks (and the Bliss has a lot of decks) will move more.

 

Our trip was relatively calm. They did not break out the barf bags in the elevator lobbies. If you look at the photos, we had some rain on many days. Rain = storms = non-calm seas.

 

The trip to Victoria was relatively smooth.

 

If you are subject to motion sickness, take Bonnie, get a patch, take precautions.

[BirdTravels]

For the Bliss, they have some fancy new cruise cards. The ship uses the bar code, the magnetic stripe, and the proximity card. Rooms doors are controlled with a prox reader. Bar staff use a prox reader on their electronic order pads, charging drinks at time of order. Stores scan bar codes.

 

 

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[LdyMags]

For the Bliss, they have some fancy new cruise cards. The ship uses the bar code, the magnetic stripe, and the proximity card. Rooms doors are controlled with a prox reader. Bar staff use a prox reader on their electronic order pads, charging drinks at time of order. Stores scan bar codes.

 

 

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That’s a pretty awesome souvenir too!

 

 

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[cheersforbeers]

For the Bliss, they have some fancy new cruise cards. The ship uses the bar code, the magnetic stripe, and the proximity card. Rooms doors are controlled with a prox reader. Bar staff use a prox reader on their electronic order pads, charging drinks at time of order. Stores scan bar codes.

 

 

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BirdTravels,

I really appreciate all you did while on your cruise and I hope you enjoyed doing this and also your cruise.

Thanks and Take care.

[PATRLR]

Checkin ran out of boarding group cards, so the late comers were all swarming the boarding line before the early arrivers. There are 4700 passengers on this cruise (vs 4000 capacity).

We got to the curb at 11:15 AM. We were on the ship in about 30 minutes. The only place we waited in a line was at the security screening and that was only because the one person ahead of us was slow. No line to check-in, and then walked right on the ship.

 

So, it sounds like between 10:45 and 11:15, they processed whatever boarding groups they had. Obviously, I don't know about the rest of the day, but I was shocked at how smooth, quick and easy it was to get through the terminal and on the ship.

[PATRLR]

Just wondering where you met for this tour. On Bliss (like in theater) or on docks? Trying to plan our morning and wondering if we have time for a morning tour. Booked Harv & Marvs for 7:30. Also trying to decide if we want to do both or just one. Thanks for all of your help & pics. We are on the July 14th sailing.

We did a whale watch with Alaska Humpback Adventures (steve Olmstead) that went from 7:30 to 11:30. We had to meet somewhere on the ship at 1:00 for the Tracy Arm excursion.

 

 

Becuase of where the Bliss docks, there really isn't time to get in any Juneau shopping.

 

I am so happy we did both the whale watch and the Tracy Arm excursion - I highly recommend that to anyone for their Juneau day.

[BirdTravels]

Just wondering where you met for this tour. On Bliss (like in theater) or on docks? Trying to plan our morning and wondering if we have time for a morning tour. Booked Harv & Marvs for 7:30. Also trying to decide if we want to do both or just one. Thanks for all of your help & pics. We are on the July 14th sailing.

 

 

The tour left from Q at 1:15. Suppose to check in at 1:00. You get taken through crew areas to the tender door (opposite the dock).

 

 

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[Zlasmcruising]

The tour left from Q at 1:15. Suppose to check in at 1:00. You get taken through crew areas to the tender door (opposite the dock).

 

 

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Thank you for that info. I'm doing this tour too, and was wondering where we would meet.

 

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[BirdTravels]

The tour left from Q at 1:15. Suppose to check in at 1:00. You get taken through crew areas to the tender door (opposite the dock).

 

 

All aboard is 1:00, so unless you missed the ship you will be onboard. But allow time to pick up your cold weather gear.

 

 

 

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[PATRLR]

Shuttles to the airport cost $20 per person and leave frequently as soon as they fill a bus.

We were planning to take an Uber for 3 of us - about $40. As we walked out of the terminal, we were asked if we wanted the bus, we told them we planned on Uber, the gentleman said we could do 3 people on the bus for $40. So we did. A couple behind us got rather upset at the price discrepancy and we heard the operators tell the couple they will discount the rice for larger groups. Apparently "3" is a larger group :D:D

 

So the point is, if you are 3 or more, you can haggle price with them.

[umpisoccer]

I was wondering if you could let me know the timing of the trip to Sawyer Glacier after leaving Juneau. I know we leave Juneau at 1:30 pm. About what time should we plan to eat dinner that night so we do not miss any of the sights? What time is the best viewing from your balcony or observation lounge? Thanks.

[PATRLR]

I was wondering if you could let me know the timing of the trip to Sawyer Glacier after leaving Juneau. I know we leave Juneau at 1:30 pm. About what time should we plan to eat dinner that night so we do not miss any of the sights? What time is the best viewing from your balcony or observation lounge? Thanks.

 

I think there are too many variables involved here. Do they go to Sawyer or Dawes? How much ice and how far up can they go? Time of year you are going. We were on the excursion boat and it was 7-ish that we got back on the Bliss which was at least 30 minutes after our scheduled return. And even after we were back on board, the Bliss stayed there for a bit and did a pirouette and then it needed to ride out of Endicott Arm and the ride out was nice too.

 

My recommendation would be to make absolutely no plans for dinner that night if you don't have to. Freestyle cruising after all :). If for some reason you have to make plans for that night, I'd make them late.

[Tommy3putts]

Thanks for letting me tag along on our cruise. Enjoyed your photos and the information. We sail on Bliss out of Miami in Feb 2019. Looking forward to seeing this new ship.

 

Cheers

 

Tom

[Ottawa_Cruiser]

What an incredible review, thank you Bird! My hubby and I are looking to book a kid-free vacation and I think the Bliss sailing of December 8th may be the way to go! The ship looks amazing!

[BirdTravels]

I was wondering if you could let me know the timing of the trip to Sawyer Glacier after leaving Juneau. I know we leave Juneau at 1:30 pm. About what time should we plan to eat dinner that night so we do not miss any of the sights? What time is the best viewing from your balcony or observation lounge? Thanks.

The scheduled return time is 6:30.

 

We didn’t rejoin the ship until after 7:00. We had 7:00 dinner reservations at Lobos which we were late for.

 

We actually found it fascinating that once our tour boat docked with the ship, the Bliss began a 180 turn-in-place with our tour boat still attached, and still disembarking our group.

 

We scheduled dinners around shows. Sunrise was about 4 am and Sunset was around 9:45 pm, so just about any time is good viewing time. We kept a set of deck blankets in our room and covered up whilst on our balcony.

[Zlasmcruising]

The scheduled return time is 6:30.

 

We didn’t rejoin the ship until after 7:00. We had 7:00 dinner reservations at Lobos which we were late for.

 

We actually found it fascinating that once our tour boat docked with the ship, the Bliss began a 180 turn-in-place with our tour boat still attached, and still disembarking our group.

 

We scheduled dinners around shows. Sunrise was about 4 am and Sunset was around 9:45 pm, so just about any time is good viewing time. We kept a set of deck blankets in our room and covered up whilst on our balcony.

Was the ship doing the turn for cruisers to see the glacier?

 

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[YVRBassElectric]

The scheduled return time is 6:30.

 

We actually found it fascinating that once our tour boat docked with the ship, the Bliss began a 180 turn-in-place with our tour boat still attached, and still disembarking our group.

 

.

 

I want to go on the Alaskan cruise, just for this excursion!! That sounds like an amazing experience, being so close to the water while the ship maneuvers

[PATRLR]

Was the ship doing the turn for cruisers to see the glacier?

I assumed it was. BirdTravels said it did a 180, I really thought it did a full 360, actually a 540. When we on the excursion first saw our ship it was pointed towards the glacier and at some point when we were along side and unloading passengers it was starting to turn. When I was up on the ship it was pointing toward the glacier again (that would be at least 1 360) and it eventually had to turn around to leave (that would be 180 for a total of 540).