Show times on NCL Bliss?

[jrbeccles]

Taking the NCL Bliss from LA to Miami thru Panama Canal this coming January. I'd like to book some specialty restaurants soon.  However, I'm not sure what the show times are on that ship, and how long they last. Pretty sure we would like to catch the early show and have a late dinner. Any thoughts? Also, what are the current Bliss shows?

Thanks!

Edited September 17, 2023 by jrbeccles

[DeltaDude]

I'm on the Bliss departing MIA for LAX via the Panama Canal Dec 4, and the shows are "Jersey Boys" and "Six."  They're reportedly about 75 minutes in length, and a couple of places on the web state that show times are 730pm and approximately 1030pm. (https://eatsleepcruise.com/norwegian-bliss-entertainment-guide/)

 

I'm in a Club Balcony BB cabin, so I got to book specialty dining reservations 121 days out, but reservations for the shows are 21 days out, according to one of the chat assistants on the NCL website. 

 

Hope we both enjoy the trip!  It's my first time transiting the canal, and my 4th NCL ship (did Celebrity 3 times in the past year and they were fantastic). Also tried Carnival for my first cruise, just to see if I liked the experience generally, MSC and Royal Caribbean.

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, jrbeccles said:

Taking the NCL Bliss from LA to Miami thru Panama Canal this coming January. I'd like to book some specialty restaurants soon.  However, I'm not sure what the show times are on that ship, and how long they last. Pretty sure we would like to catch the early show and have a late dinner. Any thoughts? Also, what are the current Bliss shows?

Thanks!

The cruise is a "one-off" repositioning cruise and not a regular itinerary. The entertainment schedule will not be finalized until about a month prior to departure,,, especially with the longer cruise where the schedule will highly dependent upon the guest performers they book to fill the time along the way. 

 

If NCL continues their current trend, you will only be able to book Jersey Boys and Six. All other entertainment will be first-come-first-serve (i.e., you need to line up 45+ minutes in advance if you want a show in The Social (comedy) or Cavern Club. 

 

If you want that 9:00-9:30 pm reservation for dinner, you can wait until day 21 and book/change your specialty dining to late night. You do not need reservations for the Main Dining Rooms (Manhattan Room/Taste/Savor)

Edited September 17, 2023 by BirdTravels

[DeltaDude]

Thanks for the info on the entertainment venues, BirdTravels. 

 

As for specialty dining reservations, I was able to book 121 days out, but later found that I needed to change one.  I tried doing it on the app, but it just added a reservation and wouldn't let me cancel the old one.  I called the 800 number and the rep confirmed the change for me.  (Departure is 4DEC2023).  They followed it with an email confirmation the next day, which was nice. 

 

In a 2019 trip, I was excited about the Cavern Club/Beatles show, but it was a small venue and I got squeezed in one night but it would have been great to have had an actual seat.  I noticed that the Cavern Club on the Bliss is on the Waterfront.  Can you enjoy the music (even if you can't see the band well) from there?

[hallux]

42 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

The cruise is a "one-off" repositioning cruise and not a regular itinerary.

Actually - the Bliss is making the 2 week transit somewhat regularly over the winter.  It's not a simple repositioning cruise where the ship will remain in the Atlantic for an extended period of time.  There are 4 such cruises in November, December and January (November 19 and January 12 going East, December 4, and January 27 going West).  I'm on the last Westbound cruise.

 

I'm also curious to see how they schedule the theater shows.  I know on a 7 night itinerary we usually get two nights of two shows for each of the shows.  I'm curious if that will be 4 nights of two shows for each (2 each week) or 4 nights of one show for each.  My cruise is also one of the last to feature SIX, sadly...

Edited September 17, 2023 by hallux

[BirdTravels]

It is still not a "regular" weekly/bi-weekly cruise where you could say "Jersey Boys is on Monday @ 7:30 and 9:30. And it is still driven by the guest performers they have booked and when they can embark/disembark. 

 

I kinda hate when they spread out shows because there is, inevitably, something at 7:30 and 9:30 that I want to see. Both SIX and Jersey Boys have relatively simple staging, so they could mix it up without a lot of work. We saw SIX again on the Breakaway last year and it was fantastic. 

[DeltaDude]

I should know on or about Nov 13, so I'll try to post then.  

[jrbeccles]

Thanks for all of the replies - very helpful indeed. I'll book dinner for 9pm then and we will catch the 7.30 shows. 

This will be my 10th NCL cruise so kind of familiar with how they do things, but never one with this long duration, and never sailed on the Bliss. Panama Canal was on the bucket list.

Agreed Cavern Club is too small but I'm a huge Beatles fan, so I'll get there and hour ahead and get a good seat!

Thank you guys. 

 

[smarterman64]

8 hours ago, DeltaDude said:

Thanks for the info on the entertainment venues, BirdTravels. 

 

As for specialty dining reservations, I was able to book 121 days out, but later found that I needed to change one.  I tried doing it on the app, but it just added a reservation and wouldn't let me cancel the old one.  I called the 800 number and the rep confirmed the change for me.  (Departure is 4DEC2023).  They followed it with an email confirmation the next day, which was nice. 

 

In a 2019 trip, I was excited about the Cavern Club/Beatles show, but it was a small venue and I got squeezed in one night but it would have been great to have had an actual seat.  I noticed that the Cavern Club on the Bliss is on the Waterfront.  Can you enjoy the music (even if you can't see the band well) from there?

there is a tv of what is going on inside in the section of cavern club on the waterfront

[DeltaDude]

That's great to know!  Thanks

[mattR]

Contemplating the Bill for next Aug 2024.  What should I expect for evening entertainment in the main theater?

[eileeshb]

11 hours ago, mattR said:

Contemplating the Bill for next Aug 2024.  What should I expect for evening entertainment in the main theater?

chances are Six will be gone so that leaves Jersey boys as the only large production show, the Beatles cover band will probably do one night in the theater. They are now putting the "Deal or No Deal " game show in the theater and then there'll be various other solo/duo acts which may change cruise to cruise.