We were very excited to be on a new super ship, and chose a balcony upgrade, and the premium package. We were still constantly pestered to pay extra for things, and to tip at every turn. It was very disturbing. The room is incredibly small, with no drawers. Be prepared to live out of your suitcase. The beds are roll away cot quality, and you’re not going to sleep well. Most people spend most of their time ashore or enjoying the ship, so this may not matter to you. The ship itself is super loud, over crowded, understaffed, and every show and specialty restaurant will likely sell out before you get on the ship. Be sure to do as much and arrange as you can online before you start. The art and some of the food is very impressive. Most staff was efficient and friendly. The ships tech is decent. But, given a choice, I would not return to the Bliss.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Food was generally good. Some real stand outs were the soups and desserts. Specialty dining was mostly delicious. Late night dining was hard to come by. Burgers, everywhere, seems to be frozen and dry.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
A fine array of activities, but so many people milling about made it hard to enjoy.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Jersey Boys was great, The Beatles were fantastic. Six was a mess of a show, filled with actresses who had immense talent, great costumes, and a butchered version of the script. My biggest disappointment was that most of the performers and bands wore casual street clothes. It just seemed lazy and not very special.
Service and Staff
2 out of 5
Staff was generally good, but the constant hints for tips and gratuities EVERYWHERE was very offputting. I had never, until this cruise, had a crew pass around a tip cup on the tender, on the way onto the shore.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
This ship is LOUD. The art work on the ship is very impressive, and the design is cool and chic. However… Dining rooms are designed for looks, and the acoustics make sure that the you have to raise your voice to be heard over everyone else raising their voices. We had the all inclusive package, and were constantly pushed to upgrade, to spend extra, and to tip. The rooms are literally the smallest cabins I have ever experienced. Incredibly small cabin, with no drawers for clothing, and a teeny tiny shower. We had a balcony suite, and it was smaller than an inside cabin on other ships. The spa (extra $300 for the pass) was also loud, with no attempt to stop the kids who are not allowed in the space from running around. There’s also no dry sauna - instead, they have a salt room where you can sit at room temperature near some salt crystals that look like they were put in on day one. A very disappointing sail. I will not book on the Bliss again.
Cabin / Stateroom
1 out of 5
The rooms are literally the smallest cabins I have ever experienced. Incredibly small cabin, with no drawers for clothing, and a teeny tiny shower. We had a balcony suite, and it was smaller than an inside cabin on other ships. Robes and towels were a step below what I have experienced on other ships. Everything felt new, but there were some bizarre design choices. The mattress was rock hard and I woke up stiff and sore every morning. I won’t be returning to the Bliss.
I have never experienced a crew member asking for a tip. The tenders are normally not run by the cruise line, they are provided by a third party, so that would explain the ask.
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