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

[Sugar Magnolia]

3 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

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.

 

Completely agree about Cagney's and Le Bistro losing their luster. Same goes for La Cucina. 

 

Onda, Palomar and Food Republic are the new standard for me now. Los Lobos and Q are close behind.

 

[graphicguy]

17 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Completely agree about Cagney's and Le Bistro losing their luster. Same goes for La Cucina. 

 

Onda, Palomar and Food Republic are the new standard for me now. Los Lobos and Q are close behind.

 

I was pleasantly surprised how much I really liked Los Lobos.

[Sailing12Away]

8 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I was pleasantly surprised how much I really liked Los Lobos.

We'll be trying that for the first time this coming September. Food Republic is absolutely one of our favorites. We tend to go there for lunch on sea days and share 1 credit between the 2 of us. If we get a hankering for more later on in the trip we don't mind paying out of pocket.

[graphicguy]

So.,..what did I think?

 

Pretty obvious, I hope. Great cruise!

 

 

PORTS

Alaska is a true wonder.  Aside from not being able to get to the tippy top of the White Pass, a rainy day in  Juneau and a puzzling stop in Victoria for a few (very few( hours), the weather was relatively mild...perfect for Alaska cruising.  Take the Juneau lift to wander around at the top.  Well worth it.  White Pass Rail ride is worth it, too.

 

OBSERVATION LOUNGE....Love...LOVE this venue.  It supports a 270º+ view, perfect for whale watching.  With a geographic locale that is as picturesque as Alaska, that view was worth a million bucks. Plus, the bar/wait staff there are just great...attentive, engaging, funny, happy to be there.  It was my go to place.  Sometimes, I'd just grab a Bloody Mary and a Chocolate muffin (deeellllisshhh) and some fruit for Breakfast there.  At lunch, they usually had cold cuts, buns, flatbreads and/or focaccia and more fruit (the fruit on this sailing was fresh and very flavorful, no over/under ripe pieces)...all good.

 

ENTERTAINMENT...said it before, say it again, NCL has the Best entertainment at sea, bar none.  Jersey Boys was my fave.  While, the SICX show was entertaining, the plot was thin and probably geared more towards the farer gender.  Not a bad thing.  Just not MY THING!  Beatles in the Cavern Club was excellent.  And, even some of the smaller shows like the comedy/magic show were good (although, I could tell how they did a couple of their tricks, and I was sitting pretty far back).  They were funny!  Piano players and piano/bass duo in the Observation Lounge were always good at night.  I missed @ChiefMateJRK favorite, Silgo, however.  He recommended them highly, though.  The rest was pretty standard fare.....trivia, 'how to", bingo, etc...all the typical games you find on cruise ships.

 

FOOD...again, probably as good as any I've ever had on any cruise ship.  I had 4 SDP meals.....Food Republic, Los Lobos, Teppanyaki, and Texas Smoke House.  I'd do any of them again, without hesitation, nor complaint.  TX Smoke House was fun and had great BBQ, but they also had a band. Not a country fan, but they played a lot of Johnny Cash, who I do happen to like.  Just not a fan of the "pop-country lite" you hear today.  Even the food in the Local was good.  When I wasn't in a Specialty Dining venue, I was chowing down at the Local.  Great Burgers...Chicken Salad was really good, too.  Sometimes, I'd just get apps, get a couple of beers, sit overlooking the Atrium and have a grand time.

 

SERVICE....Top notch...throughout the ship...from Customer Service, to my cabin attendant, to Cruise Next personnel, to waitstaff, to bartenders, etc.  Everyone seemed to want to bend over backwards to accommodate.  Granted, I don't ask for much.  But, even when I was at Customer Service quizzing them about the dismal internet, they took care of me, with a smile and no real pushback.

 

INTERNET.....well, this was dismal,  Look, I know we sailed in the mountains and we were in Alaska.  But, there does seem to be some sort of disconnect and/or incompatibility with ANY cruise internet connection with Cruise Critic.  One would think that given so many are both frequent cruisers (who provide a good amount of content here) and also faithful followers of Cruise Critic, they'd both get together to figure out what should be a fairly simple compatibility solution.  My suggestion?  Forego upgrading to the premium WiFi package and wait until you dock somewhere to connect to your service provider's LTE or 5G connections.

 

SHIP...it's a newer ship, so what can possible be bad.  Well...nothing!  It's BEAUTIFUL!  There was always someone around cleaning, regardless of where I was, or what I was doing.  I didn't spend much time in my cabin, but even from down the hallway, my Cabin Steward made it a point to either wave or greet me by my name whenever he saw me.  He always was asking if there was "anything more" he could do for me.  If it matters, I was in cabin 9190, a Club Balcony.  I asked for a coffee maker, and got it.  I asked for extra towels, got them.  My laundry was delivered the day after I sent my clothes out (always had them ready to send out early a.m.).  Ship was clean as a pin.

 

GUESTS....'ya know, usually on every cruise, there's a person who really frosts my posterior.  Not this time.  Yeah, there were some I just shook my head at.  But, no one who was thoughtless, rude, or generally unpleasant. Plus, I met some wonderful people who I now consider my cruise friends.  @ChiefMateJRK along with his beautiful wife.  Kim and Alice Demaris, Daniel, and all who participated in the Meet and Greet.  What a wonderful group.  NCL took care of us, too.  Let's face it, our fellow cruisers make our trip.  This was particularly true of this cruise.  Everyone was great.

 

 

I don't know that I can say much more.  My cabin was comfy, the shower was hot, the view was spectacular from my balcony.

 

This was my best cruise.  But, I say that right after I sail every cruise, and is true until I book my next one. 😉

 

Hope you liked this.  Thanks for joining me.

 

 

 

[YVRteacher]

Thank you for this live! It’s been a pleasure experiencing the ship and Alaska through your eyes and perspective. 

[Oakman58]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

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

 

 

 

My favorite piece of artwork was in the brewhouse.  Real books were used as the canvas.

 

[eileeshb]

Thank you for sharing your experience! 

[Sugar Magnolia]

@graphicguy thank you for another great review. You have inspired me to book an Alaska cruise. I am currently looking at a B2B on the Jewel so that I can cruise from Vancouver to Seward to Vancouver without having to take that extra long flight to/from Anchorage.

 

Have you planned your next cruise?

[debenson0723]

Glad you had a great time. I really enjoy your positive attitude. The Bliss is my favorite ship and I need to start looking for another cruise on her.  Won't be this year (just booked the Viva) but might do the Pacific Coastal next year (even though I am looking at a Med cruise...hopefully can do both!).

[LauraAnneC]

Thank you for your review. I really enjoyed it. I’m starting to plan an Alaska trip, it was always on my bucket list but now I want to start planning! 
 

 

[Cruisercl]

Thanks @graphicguy for the fun review though I may be biased as the Bliss is my favorite NCL ship.

It is good to know others, other than me, think that the Bliss has alot to offer and the whole experience is really good. 

(Maybe we should keep it a secret!!)

Very happy you had a good time, which is most important.

I would so do Bliss Alaska again in a nano-second! 😊

[graphicguy]

2 hours ago, Oakman58 said:

 

My favorite piece of artwork was in the brewhouse.  Real books were used as the canvas.

 

Love that!

[Go2SeaTheWorld]

Really appreciate all your information. We're on the Bliss last week of June, with the Dawson Glacier; Sitka, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan & the quick evening in Victoria, BC. But will be only our 3rd cruise ever & the only one departing from the US, so very excited.  Most of our cruising family members have Alaska at the top or ranked near the top of all their experiences.

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

@graphicguy thank you for another great review. You have inspired me to book an Alaska cruise. I am currently looking at a B2B on the Jewel so that I can cruise from Vancouver to Seward to Vancouver without having to take that extra long flight to/from Anchorage.

 

Have you planned your next cruise?

Tossing around the idea of sailing the Viva or Prima.   But, son, sisters, Niece and Nephews are in the midst of planning a trip to Italy.

 

But, if I stumble on a deal, who knows.  I still have some cruise next certs to use.

 

Glad you enjoyed it!

[graphicguy]

3 minutes ago, Go2SeaTheWorld said:

Really appreciate all your information. We're on the Bliss last week of June, with the Dawson Glacier; Sitka, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan & the quick evening in Victoria, BC. But will be only our 3rd cruise ever & the only one departing from the US, so very excited.  Most of our cruising family members have Alaska at the top or ranked near the top of all their experiences.

The weather in June should be perfect.  Bliss is the absolute right ship for Alaska because of the Observation Lounge!  Plus, it’s an overall beautiful ship!

[SightCRR]

Thanks for the enjoyable posts. It is to bad that Ketchikan at Ward Cove could not have been worked in better. We have enjoyed Ketch several times. Hope the new car and all that red tape works out.  Take Care sightcrr. 

[YVRteacher]

@graphicguy do you ever cruise with your son?

[graphicguy]

6 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

@graphicguy do you ever cruise with your son?

I have, indeed!  We’ve done the Caribbean and Mediterranean together.  He’s not near the fan of cruising I am, however.  

 

The pic is my son, me and my nephew L to R, on a Carnival Cruise a few years ago.

[graphicguy]

6 hours ago, SightCRR said:

Thanks for the enjoyable posts. It is to bad that Ketchikan at Ward Cove could not have been worked in better. We have enjoyed Ketch several times. Hope the new car and all that red tape works out.  Take Care sightcrr. 

Thanks…pick up the new car today, actually.  Glad you enjoyed the review.  

 

Was just looking over the final bill.  Got out of the trip under $150 for the DSC on my account from NCL and that was it.  Offset by about $300 in casino winnings.  So, given it was a pretty cheap fare to begin with, and included FAS, I feel good about it. 😉 

[NikiPinkston]

Thank you for taking us along on your adventure, @graphicguy! We board in a few days and following along was a wonderful way to spend those long last days before we embark. 😁 You did a fabulous job!

 

[graphicguy]

30 minutes ago, NikiPinkston said:

Thank you for taking us along on your adventure, @graphicguy! We board in a few days and following along was a wonderful way to spend those long last days before we embark. 😁 You did a fabulous job!

 

Thanks…I’m certain you’re going to have a grand time!!!!!

[Lazonia]

18 hours ago, graphicguy said:

So.,..what did I think?

 

Pretty obvious, I hope. Great cruise!

 

 

PORTS

Alaska is a true wonder.  Aside from not being able to get to the tippy top of the White Pass, a rainy day in  Juneau and a puzzling stop in Victoria for a few (very few( hours), the weather was relatively mild...perfect for Alaska cruising.  Take the Juneau lift to wander around at the top.  Well worth it.  White Pass Rail ride is worth it, too.

 

OBSERVATION LOUNGE....Love...LOVE this venue.  It supports a 270º+ view, perfect for whale watching.  With a geographic locale that is as picturesque as Alaska, that view was worth a million bucks. Plus, the bar/wait staff there are just great...attentive, engaging, funny, happy to be there.  It was my go to place.  Sometimes, I'd just grab a Bloody Mary and a Chocolate muffin (deeellllisshhh) and some fruit for Breakfast there.  At lunch, they usually had cold cuts, buns, flatbreads and/or focaccia and more fruit (the fruit on this sailing was fresh and very flavorful, no over/under ripe pieces)...all good.

 

ENTERTAINMENT...said it before, say it again, NCL has the Best entertainment at sea, bar none.  Jersey Boys was my fave.  While, the SICX show was entertaining, the plot was thin and probably geared more towards the farer gender.  Not a bad thing.  Just not MY THING!  Beatles in the Cavern Club was excellent.  And, even some of the smaller shows like the comedy/magic show were good (although, I could tell how they did a couple of their tricks, and I was sitting pretty far back).  They were funny!  Piano players and piano/bass duo in the Observation Lounge were always good at night.  I missed @ChiefMateJRK favorite, Silgo, however.  He recommended them highly, though.  The rest was pretty standard fare.....trivia, 'how to", bingo, etc...all the typical games you find on cruise ships.

 

FOOD...again, probably as good as any I've ever had on any cruise ship.  I had 4 SDP meals.....Food Republic, Los Lobos, Teppanyaki, and Texas Smoke House.  I'd do any of them again, without hesitation, nor complaint.  TX Smoke House was fun and had great BBQ, but they also had a band. Not a country fan, but they played a lot of Johnny Cash, who I do happen to like.  Just not a fan of the "pop-country lite" you hear today.  Even the food in the Local was good.  When I wasn't in a Specialty Dining venue, I was chowing down at the Local.  Great Burgers...Chicken Salad was really good, too.  Sometimes, I'd just get apps, get a couple of beers, sit overlooking the Atrium and have a grand time.

 

SERVICE....Top notch...throughout the ship...from Customer Service, to my cabin attendant, to Cruise Next personnel, to waitstaff, to bartenders, etc.  Everyone seemed to want to bend over backwards to accommodate.  Granted, I don't ask for much.  But, even when I was at Customer Service quizzing them about the dismal internet, they took care of me, with a smile and no real pushback.

 

INTERNET.....well, this was dismal,  Look, I know we sailed in the mountains and we were in Alaska.  But, there does seem to be some sort of disconnect and/or incompatibility with ANY cruise internet connection with Cruise Critic.  One would think that given so many are both frequent cruisers (who provide a good amount of content here) and also faithful followers of Cruise Critic, they'd both get together to figure out what should be a fairly simple compatibility solution.  My suggestion?  Forego upgrading to the premium WiFi package and wait until you dock somewhere to connect to your service provider's LTE or 5G connections.

 

SHIP...it's a newer ship, so what can possible be bad.  Well...nothing!  It's BEAUTIFUL!  There was always someone around cleaning, regardless of where I was, or what I was doing.  I didn't spend much time in my cabin, but even from down the hallway, my Cabin Steward made it a point to either wave or greet me by my name whenever he saw me.  He always was asking if there was "anything more" he could do for me.  If it matters, I was in cabin 9190, a Club Balcony.  I asked for a coffee maker, and got it.  I asked for extra towels, got them.  My laundry was delivered the day after I sent my clothes out (always had them ready to send out early a.m.).  Ship was clean as a pin.

 

GUESTS....'ya know, usually on every cruise, there's a person who really frosts my posterior.  Not this time.  Yeah, there were some I just shook my head at.  But, no one who was thoughtless, rude, or generally unpleasant. Plus, I met some wonderful people who I now consider my cruise friends.  @ChiefMateJRK along with his beautiful wife.  Kim and Alice Demaris, Daniel, and all who participated in the Meet and Greet.  What a wonderful group.  NCL took care of us, too.  Let's face it, our fellow cruisers make our trip.  This was particularly true of this cruise.  Everyone was great.

 

 

I don't know that I can say much more.  My cabin was comfy, the shower was hot, the view was spectacular from my balcony.

 

This was my best cruise.  But, I say that right after I sail every cruise, and is true until I book my next one. 😉

 

Hope you liked this.  Thanks for joining me.

 

 

 

Thank you for taking us along with you on your Alaska adventure.    Really appreciated your reports and putting up with frustrating internet to continue your posts.   Like you, I think art on ships is undervalued so I really appreciate you sharing pictures.    So glad you had such a great trip!    

[Jordan61]

Thank you so much for letting us follow along! Very excited for our first NCL cruise on the Bliss in a couple of weeks.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Jordan61

[MAMA "B"]

Glad you had a great time on the Bliss.  We will be on her in August 2023.  Wondering how difficult was it getting off the ship in Seattle and getting to the airport? Did you do walk off?  What time did you get to Sea-Tac?  Also did you use Uber, a shuttle or a taxi?  Any information is appreciated.

[ChiefMateJRK]

18 minutes ago, MAMA "B" said:

Glad you had a great time on the Bliss.  We will be on her in August 2023.  Wondering how difficult was it getting off the ship in Seattle and getting to the airport? Did you do walk off?  What time did you get to Sea-Tac?  Also did you use Uber, a shuttle or a taxi?  Any information is appreciated.

I'm not @graphicguy, but was on the same sailing.  I've got the Seattle disembark down to a science.  Here's what we did:

a) after exiting terminal, walk about 20 feet south to the two elevators

b) take an elevator to the top (5th?) level

c) walk about 500 feet across top of pedestrian overpass to Elliott street

d) call Uber/Lyft

 

There were about four other groups there waiting for rides (i.e. no crowds).  A nice Lyft guy in a brand new Tesla picked us up in less than five minutes.  I think it took around thirty minutes to get to SeaTac.  He showed us some of the nifty features of his Tesla which was good entertainment.  Cost was $68 plus tip.  This was a Lyft XL, which is roomier than the base price rides.  I have no idea what NCL charges for their transfers, and likely will never use one again in Seattle.

 

Next time, I'm going to Uber/Lyft to Elliott street and reverse the sequence for embarkation.  No fighting the crowded traffic on Alaskan Way and no problems with the trains blocking the street (which happens a lot).  This time I was on a B2B and the April 15 embarkation drop off was a breeze because there were no disembarking passengers.  I've never see Alaskan way so calm and may never again.  Have fun!