I guess to early in the year for a vacation......
Norwegian Bliss Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)
Sail date: February 18, 2023
Ship: Norwegian Bliss
Cabin type: Suite
Cabin number: 9242
Traveled as: Large Group
Reviewed: 1 year ago
Review summary
We actually sailed on this vessel prior to Covid and it was the greatest ever! We told our families and friends how great this ship was and how much fun we could have if we went again! As a result, a group of us decided to take it, this time in the Caribbean. The decision turned out to be one of the worst vacations any of us had. From the start, there were nothing but problems, not just for us but for many others that we overheard grumbling. I watched a guy in the muster drill spitting up snot from his nose into a glass. I alerted the lady running it for our section and she did nothing. This guy was left to roam and spread whatever he had throughout the ship. Terminal/embank: My son's Nintendo Switch and games came up missing during our loading onto the ship. We went to guest services a couple of times but they had nothing. At about 6pm we went back again and security found it. While frustrating to think someone took it out of his suitcase, we were grateful just to have it back. Dining: We also tried the different dining venues throughout the trip and the only consistent thing was how bad the service was and how tough the meat is. The staff would disappear during our dining and wouldn't return for 25 minutes or more. We would get partial meals at our table and sometimes the food was cold. Even upgrading to their highest tier drink package didn't help either. I ended up paying for bottles of wine even though I requested the free ones that are supposed to be available for us (guest services would later tell us we didn't know what we were talking about and we don't get bottles of wine, only glasses. I sent a pic of the drink package we bought to my wife this morning, showing we got bottles of wine lol). Excursions: The descriptions are missing some key elements in them so beware of what you choose. If you decide not to participate during the middle of one, hopefully you will get someone that understands and doesn't blow up at you telling you that it's mandatory you do this. That happened to us. We did the dune buggy experience in Rotan and nowhere did it tell us that we would get muddy. We expected some dirt but not to be caked in mud. We watched people get out of the buggy fuming that they will have to hose down their clothes to get the mud off. The people that wore white said they were just going to throw them away upon returning to the ship. Choosing not to go out to that adventure got me into trouble with the Director. He grilled me for 15 minutes and then wouldn't leave my side while we waited for our group to return from the buggy adventure, which they were completely soaked in mud and mad. Rooms: Perhaps that only saving grace was the cleanliness of the rooms because it definitely wasn't the beds. I think they are still the same ones from when we last traveled on this ship 4 years ago. They were so hard that it left a bruise on my side from sleeping on it. Gaming: The casino was pretty standard, nothing special. The tables were high dollar (25 min bet for craps) on day 1 but got cheaper as the week went on. The kids arcade was the one to watch. They sell an unlimited card for $175, but it's not really unlimited. Even though we and another couple were told there would be no other charges they still popped up on our bill. Another $350 worth. When you tell guest services what you were told, all they do is ask if that is your signature and then show you in the print where it says you will be charged if you play the red button games. No accountability on their part. Ports: This was the frustrating part for me. We bought and paid for this trip, did all the upgrades we could and expected to see what was promised. For the first time in our cruising career we didn't stop at a promised port. Now I would have gladly accepted if there were an act of God, or something really bad that was keeping us from docking, but when you watch another cruise ship (Carnival Mardi Gras) just stroll right in front of us and dock, it paints a picture of a captain that either isn't confident in his crew or he isn't confident in himself. The water wasn't that rough yet we still skipped a port. (Come to find out they skipped the same port the week before). Now you would think that there would be some compensation for missing out on something you paid for but no, that thinking will only make you mad! They give you your port and excursion fees back but that's it. Instead we waved goodbye to the Carnival ship that docked right in front us and sailed at half speed to the Yucatan peninsula. It was very disappointing. From our observation it really came down to a lack of training and accountability on the crew and management. You would have one member tell you something and then the next moment someone else is telling you something different. Not only is there miscommunication on the ship but off of it as well. When you think you bought something but then are told that you don't know what you are talking about, it paints an all too familiar picture of the right hand not talking to the left hand or what I like to call government communication! This lack of communication and training cost us another $1000 that we weren't expecting, and management didn't seem to care nor wanted to do anything about it as it had fallen on deaf ears from the start. This trip has soured our taste with Norwegian Cruise lines, enough that we decided against using them for our Mediterranean cruise. Hopefully you will have a better experience than us because we don't wish a bad vacation for anyone as they are hard to come by and tend to be expensive! As for us we have another cruise scheduled with Celebrity (first time) this summer so stay tuned as I will give a run down of it afterwards.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The Manhattan Room - Main Dining Room
Better have 3 hours to kill because your not leaving finished before then. I dont know if it was because we were a group of ten but the service was the worst. Food came out sporadic, the server disappeared. drinks didnt get delivered, let alone ordered. It was a mess from the word go.
Savor Restaurant - Main Dining Room
They mistaken someone else steak for mine and I had a well done piece of show leather. Then we didn't see Douglas our waiter for 25 minutes. I finally got up and found someone to tell them about my steak. By the time I ate the others were already done with desert.
The Observation Lounge
Very nice, clean and quiet.
Humidor Cigar Bar
No ventilation and the attendant doesn't come in. You have to go find someone to help you purchase a drink and a Cigar. Oh and once you get one you better use your teeth to bite the end because the attendant doesn't carry one or a lighter. Still trying to see why its available on the ship when its a real battle just to indulge in one.
The Local Bar & Grill
Average food. I tried the buffalo wings and they didn't taste like wings you find in the states but they still filled the stomach. Then I had the nachos and they were gross. cheese sauce with a couple of jalapenos and some chili sauce on them.
Taste Restaurant - Main Dining Room
This one didnt get our group reservation for some reason and so we waited about 45 minutes extra - got a table and the food slowly poured out, except for my kids. Their meals were out before we were even served drinks.
Sugarcane Mojito Bar
It was great! Good service and good drinks.
Onboard Activities
Bliss Speedway
We did the doubles and the cart was checked but the attendants didnt care, they shrugged their shoulders when my son and I tried to tell them the cart kept stalling. I asked my wife if she had the same issue and she said no it was moving quite well. The reason I bring this up is because you only get one chance at the double carts in your entire trip.
Tradewinds Tax-and-Duty-Free Shops
Seems to only support watches and jewelry. The little store is lacking in lots of supplies except for tax free alcohol. So if you want to get drunk, buy a diamond while wearing your watch then you came to the right place. If you wanted to purchase a great t-shirt, grabbed a Gatorade and looked at sunglasses then do it in Miami before you go!!!
Laser Tag
If the guns work then its a blast! Our first cruise on this boat they all worked but on our second cruise aboard the Bliss 4 years later they are broken and dont work like they should. You have to continuously replace stuff like this (along with the mattresses in your stateroom) but for some reason Norwegian hasn't received the memo yet.
Fitness Center
Very small and crowded fitness center.
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
read the fine print of everything and take the names of people that you talk to.
Ports of call
Coxen Hole, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
Costa Maya (Mahahual), Mexico Did not visit port