If you are staying in the HAVEN just beware that you'll want to actually be IN the HAVEN (not just have access to it.) Elevators are WAY TOO CROWDED and HAVEN members do not have key card access to a special elevator. Many upcharges on the boat so beware (water costs extra...crazy...and they actually have a water package to buy.) HAVEN members do not get priority when re-entering from ports so make sure you don't get on last minute or you'll be waiting with 4000 of your best friends! Cruise mediocre at best.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Could order a full bottle of vodka if I wanted it but had to pay extra for a bottle of water - staying in THE HAVEN - not right.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Activities were there but anything descent came with an upcharge; anything "included" only tried to "upsell" something (ie, Auction (sell paintings); movie on ports of call (to sell more cruises on NCL); Talk on Natural Medicine/Acupunture (to upsell Spa/Acupuncture/Vitamins). Things like that. I felt that all HAVEN guests should be able to attend any function without an upcharge.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Children's Programs
4 out of 5
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Staff members in the HAVEN were definitely better than those on the rest of the ship. Encountered rude waitress in CAGNEYS and her manager, who was basically useless.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Elevators are pathetic. Again, HAVEN guests should have a segregated elevator with key cards (such as conseirge members have in hotels.) Wait times (with drunk passengers/evenings) were impossible. I opted for the stairs. Internet (paid for) is not functional. That needs to be fixed ASAP as this is a state of the art vessel and should have functioning internet (which it does not.) We only received service when we disembarked in ports. Also, our room was on the 11th floor (ran out of rooms in THE HAVEN but we had full access). Impossible to get back & forth (we had no idea that the walk would be this long). HAVEN is located on floor 17 so that meant the excruciating wait in the elevators or taking the stairs. We didn't feel that the "luxury" of being that far away warranted the same price as actually staying in the HAVEN. Once in the HAVEN it was nice - but the rest of the ship was your basic cruise with some drunk & rowdy customers.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Ship tip
A tip I would give is: 1) Expect no internet service - tell all your family/friends/work that they will only hear from you once you are in ports. Also 2) If you pay for the HAVEN make sure you are in the HAVEN. Our room was so far away from it (even though we paid for the HAVEN and had access to it.) While the HAVEN was nice, having a room that far away wasn't nice and truthfully, wasn't worth the upcharge for the huge inconvenience.
Homeless and 10.1% sales tax - Seattle better wake up. We walked around but felt harassed (and this is coming from a New Yorker working in NYC.) I would avoid any long periods of time in Seattle for this reason.
Whale Watching tour (4 hrs) was a bit too long on the ship. Ok if you don't get seasick - if you do, this could be a problem because they shut off the engine and you are left in the water slapping up and down. Who can watch anything at that point? Too long. Also Bliss does not give you enough time while in this port. You have to be back on the ship by noon and you don't get to see the town if you go on an excursion.
Great walk around town, you can do this without getting an excursion. Great shops - local goods-great coffee shops. Liked this town very much. I'd hold off for Skagway for souvenir shopping, etc.
Nice city but...if you plan to get a taxi, you'd better line up fast. Bliss does a poor job at telling you where taxis can be found because they are too busy upselling tours/excursions. (taxis are found as soon as you disembark). By the time we found taxis, the que was way too long. We attempted to walk to town (too far to walk) and tried to hail several taxis (none stopped). When one finally did stop, they didn't turn on their meter and we paid $15 (USD) for a cab ride that should have been about $5 (USD). Lesson learned. The city on/off bus is pretty expensive $15 per person because you really don't need to get on and off all that much. You're better off catching a taxi from the port if you plan on seeing the town yourself. Cute town. Sort of touristy. Plan to see the Fairmont hotel/beautiful. Chinatown is cute but small. Stores close by 5 pm closer to Chinatown. Only touristy stores stay open later (so get going fast if you plan to shop!)
Here is my take... just sailed on the place and had a spectacular time. No I was not in the The Haven but rather an aft balcony. I suppose I am an odd duck and that I will cruise in a variety of cabins. I have sailed in the Haven before and it was great, on the Jade. I am also sailing on the Getaway in February in a haven sweet. For those who questioned how you could be in the Haven but not “in” the haven...There are a designated number of suites on the Haven deck but I’m sure with the popularity of this exclusive way to sail, other suites on some of the ships other decks have been converted to Haven Suites so...You may be staying in a regular suite on deck eight but it will be designated a Haven suite.
I can honestly say we did not encounter any rowdy, drunk or annoying passengers in any way, shape or form. Most of the ports had designated Haven ramps for getting back on the ship so I’m not sure how those were missed by the writer of this comment. I have cruised over a dozen times in every type of cabin and on several different cruise lines. One can always find something negative to say if one looks hard enough but surely the positives outweigh the negatives on most cruises. As for the Bliss....This is a beautiful ship with great amenities and a very helpful staff sailing the beautiful waters of Alaska. If you are contemplating a trip please do so and you will not be disappointed.
Njoylife there are rooms in the Haven area and then also out (in the front and back of the ship on different decks) they are all Haven Suites though
Also JoanMira I’m not even going to feed into your negativity and obviously lack of research before hand but I am going to correct you on thing which I did confirm with NCL so others don’t see false information and believe it. You DO get priority boarding on and off the ship including ports
I think there is a Haven-only cruise site that you can post your nonsense to, that way you won’t have to run the risk of being read by non-Haven members. We’re just as anxious to to be away from you as you are to be clear of us.
I suspect based on most of your reviews weather it be ship, shore or excursions you’re never happy. There had to have been SOMETHING good about your cruise but maybe not.
How do you have access to the haven and not be in it? Any bar will give you water. Too bad you didn't enjoy your cruise, anything positive about Bliss?
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