LIVE ALASKA NCL BLISS 04-22-2023 to 04-29-2023 Review

[graphicguy]

11 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Harvey and Zandy working hard to make our cruise fun!!  😎

Agree!  Little slow moving today, as a result!

 

Zandy told me last night she’s going home tomorrow!  Yay for her!

 

Service all over the ship has been wonderful!

[ChiefMateJRK]

27 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Agree!  Little slow moving today, as a result!

 

Zandy told me last night she’s going home tomorrow!  Yay for her!

 

Service all over the ship has been wonderful!

I now realize on second glimpse I’m seeing Harvey, then Indra with Zandy directly behind with her hair appearing to be protruding behind Indra’s head.  🤣  Did I mention how great these folks are?😎

[ChiefMateJRK]

43 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Is one of them named Carlo? He was a waiter/bartender in the District and at the pool for our Panama Canal trip on the Bliss a couple years ago. A total character who almost single-handedly made our trip.

I think I’ve encountered  Carlo, but not sure where.

 

Gilbert and Harvey are neck and neck for most entertaining bartender, with Emory playing the classic straight man. 

Edited April 28, 2023 by ChiefMateJRK

[graphicguy]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I now realize on second glimpse I’m seeing Harvey, then Indra with Zandy directly behind with her hair appearing to be protruding behind Indra’s head.  🤣  Did I mention how great these folks are?😎

🎵I SeConD tHat EMoTIon🎶

[www3traveler]

Have you run across staff heading for The Viva?

[SightCRR]

Here is a Y/T video from Bliss last week showing the ship and ports, glaciers, northern lts, and whales. No useful audio so watch it at 1.75 speed. sightcrr Norwegian Bliss Alaska Cruise - YouTube

 

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

Have you run across staff heading for The Viva?

Lots of crew embarked from vacation for Alaska itineraries.  Some are getting off as their contracts ended!  Haven’t asked where they’re going next!  

 

I think Viva begins sailing in August?  That’s still in the heart of the Alaska season on the Bliss!

[graphicguy]

Nice day…..still no takers at the pool….

[graphicguy]

And…we’re in Victoria….

[YVRteacher]

Welcome to British Columbia!

[fastpitchdad]

Who is the Sommelier or Cellar Master? Yulia?

[JCDCA]

On 3/22/2023 at 12:01 PM, graphicguy said:

Wellllllllll...we're about a month of this sailing out of Seattle.  It's going to Skagway, Juneau, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan and Victoria B.C.  Am in a Club Balcony and as been my recent cruise experience, I'm solo.

 

Kind of quiet Meet and Greet, but I've organized it. Go to the end of the thread if you're on this sailing and sign up so I can give NCL a more accurate count.  They usually proved some snacks and drinks.

 

 

The particulars......Seems any cruise I've taken since the restart (hard to believe, but I've sailed 5X since then) has been last minute bookings.  Have done this itinerary before and probably ranks as one of my top 2 or 3 (Bermuda and Mediteranean being the others).  What got me to look at this cruise was a targeted promo NCL was offering.  It's still not clear to me who they were targeting or why.  Just that some of us here at CC received coupons.  In particular, 20% off the cruise fare on Alaska itineraries.  It went as high as 50% off the cruise fare, but that is for sailings on the older ships.  Plus, I've never been on the Bliss before.  

 

While many look for deals on fares only, I look for the high value cruises.  That is, I don't worry about what the DSC is, what the tips will be, etc.  I look at the total cost of what's coming out of my pocket.  That includes the fare, the tips, the perks, the service charges, etc.  Individually, all those charges may be higher or lower than any other cruise line's similar charges.  But, the only thing that really matters is what my total out of pocket is by the end of the cruise.

 

So, let's take a look....the pricing is a little wonky.   Not sure how it happened the way it happened, but I'm not complaining.

 

FARE=$2,822

(DISC)=-$1,064

TOTAL=$1,758

 

Let's stop right there for a moment.  For those of you more astute mathematicians out there, 20% off is $564, amiright?  My discount was $500 more than that, or the $1,064.  How?  Why?  I dunno.  But, in fairness (and a genuine desire not to be surprised with an NCL email stating "whoops, we made a mistake, here's the correct fare"), I contacted NCL and told them of the error.  They admitted to it, but also said they could not change it as it was already booked.  Alrighty, then!

 

IF you've followed any of the threads here at CC about the Alaska discounts, you'll note it's a weird deal.  Those of us Latitude members have had a 10% discount showing on the Encore to the Caribbean.  Nothing to get excited about.  But, the Alaska one, was a good and real discount.  Apparently, it was also one that caused NCL agents fits, as it was relayed to me. Good idea, just poorly implemented. 

 

Not one who is a Cracker Jack decoder of NCL's discount jargon, but for those of you who know this stuff, here they are as they appear on my invoice.  

 

ALL4CHO

DISC50

EASYFARE

LATDBLX

LATREW

SHX50

 

I think what some of this means is I have the drink package, the SDP (2 of them).

 

Let's add those in...

 

FARE=$1,758

BEV SRV CHARGE=$153

DIN SRV CHARGE=$18

TAX AND PORT FEES=$325

TOTAL=$2,253

 

NCL, out of their infinite generosity is giving me $75 OBC.  AMEX Platinum is giving me $200 OBC.

 

My TA would have probably kicked in at least $50 OBC on this one, but she went on to other, greener pastures to work.  Not sure where, she just sent me an email saying "au revoir" (actually, not that term).  Tried to hook up with someone else at her agency, but apparently, they are in flux.

 

So, booked this directly through NCL.  I then transferred it to one of those YouTube travel vloggers/Travel Agents.  So far it's going well.

 

We'll continue this as things come up.  

 

The goal is to do this live from the time I leave my house to the time I walk off at disembarkation, chronicling everything in between (WiFi willing).

 

 

 

 

Didn’t you swear off NCL?

[NikiPinkston]

15 hours ago, SightCRR said:

Here is a Y/T video from Bliss last week showing the ship and ports, glaciers, northern lts, and whales. No useful audio so watch it at 1.75 speed. sightcrr Norwegian Bliss Alaska Cruise - YouTube

 

@SightCRR Love your video! You did a great job - wonderful shots of everything and I especially enjoyed the whales & the stars and northern lights in the night sky. We'll be embarking soon and I'll probably be watching your video every day until then!❤️😁👍

[graphicguy]

and…we’re back!  

 

7:30 a.m. left my cabin…7:45 a.m. going down the gangplank.  

 

Review and lots more pics to follow….

[graphicguy]

6 hours ago, JCDCA said:

Didn’t you swear off NCL?

Yep…until they stuck some really good fares under my nose.

 

They made some things they did after the restart were plain idiotic.  Those PO’d me.  They did other things that were brave and I gave them credit for.

 

Bottom line, regardless, they are in full swing, again and for this cruise, at least, are doing great!!!!

[graphicguy]

10 hours ago, fastpitchdad said:

Who is the Sommelier or Cellar Master? Yulia?

Sorry….don’t know!

[SightCRR]

3 hours ago, NikiPinkston said:

@SightCRR Love your video! You did a great job

I found that video on line. I did not make that video or go on that cruise. sightcrr

[NikiPinkston]

2 hours ago, SightCRR said:

I found that video on line. I did not make that video or go on that cruise. sightcrr

Haha, well good job finding it and posting it! I did enjoy it.

[quack2]

Thanks for posting your trip updates.

[Debbie42467]

graphicguy

Thank you for your postings, I enjoyed following your adventure.

I am booked in July on the Encore. I have one night specialty dining option, I don't want to miss any entertainment, so if you had to chose 1 night which is best? TIA 

[graphicguy]

Braved the trip home.  Once again, just as long on the way back as it was on the way to the cruise.

 

Ride on the way home was pretty bumpy, but there were some thunderstorms sweeping along our route.  

 

Dragging a bit today, but given I had most of my laundry done on board, and I didn't take that much with me to begin with, really makes it a pretty easy chore.

 

Promised the the dailies when I got home, since it was close to impossible to post them while on board.  Not sure what happened to Day 1, but it wasn't in my stack!

 

 

[graphicguy]

My last SDP was in Food Republic.  I know NCL's staples includes Cagney's and LeBistro.  Gotta say, those 2 are quickly dropping down my SDP list given the outstanding offerings on the other SD venues on board the newer ships.

 

Tuna pizza (was quite good) and Reuben Dumplings. At the desert before I took a pic, but it was icecream  with chocolate and cake offering.. How can that be bad?

 

 

[graphicguy]

I love ship artwork.  I don't think it gets enough pub.

 

 

[graphicguy]

Oops..forgot one.....

[graphicguy]

Again...ALL ENTERTAINMENT ALL OVER THE SHIP WAS EXEMPLARY........regardles of how large or small.  The Beatles in the Cavern Club was quite good, too.  I HATE lines.  So, didn't wait in line for the CAVERN CLUB.  I found plenty of SRO spaces, and was happy to be looking over the crowd. I just couldn't get any good pics.