Overall a good first cruise, so bumps along the way both figuratively with my flights/luggage and in reality with some of our time on sea. But I think an Alaskan cruise is a must for everyone to try, just need to do your research on time of year, cruise line & ship, ports & port times and what kind of trip you want this to be!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
I had luggage delays so I wasn’t able to board during my selected boarding time of 11. Boarded later in the afternoon with no issues, lines were no but not terrible and went very fast. Staff and crew were helpful, kind and friendly!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
No major complaints of the food. I can be a basic and/or picky eater but I didn’t have issues anywhere I ate. I enjoyed the variety, quality and access to food on the Bliss.
Atrium Bar
4 out of 5
Drinks were good, bartenders were the friendliest and hard to get their attention to order when busy.
La Cucina
3 out of 5
The meal was okay, nothing that memorable. For free as apart of my package it good but I wouldn’t have paid for my meal.
Garden Café
5 out of 5
Absolutely loved the buffet. Such a variety of food selections, no nothing super fancy but the quality and quantity were great. I loved the noodle soup station and wish I found it sooner.
The Local Bar & Grill
4 out of 5
Amazing food. Loved my evening snacks. Slower service and had to walk away once at breakfast as I was not even served water after 5-10 minutes and was on a time crunch for a tour.
Taste Restaurant - Main Dining Room
4 out of 5
Great food, service was so-so depending on the day. Always had to ask for drinks.
Sugarcane Mojito Bar
5 out of 5
Great drinks but made a bit strong. I personally had to ask for half the alcohol for my drinks.
Savor Restaurant - Main Dining Room
4 out of 5
Great food, service was so-so depending on the day. Always had to ask for drinks.
Room Service
3 out of 5
Ordered breakfast after a rough sea day and wanted a slow morning to eat and get ready. Was quoted 30-45 minutes but took almost an hour and 15. Avocado toast was okay, nothing fancy and a bit cold when it arrived. The other food was good, cereal and fruit.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
I used limited on board activities either time didn’t allow or things were closed.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
I loved all the shows and entertainment on the ship. Only a few complaints … things were overwhelming for a first time cruiser and over scheduled; hard to go to everything you want when they overlap and only have a days notice of the plans. Could have saved some space in my suitcase if I didn’t have to try and guess “what-ifs” were happening for events and theme nights. The music I found to be quite loud in the venues. But overall the vibes were great and the entertainment staff amazing. 🫶🏼
Bliss Theater
5 out of 5
SIX was absolutely amazing, saw it twice with some cast changes and all the ladies performing and the band were fantastic!! Jersey was great, the music was wonderful and the show with props and such was amazing for being on a ship.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All the staff I interacted with were helpful and friendly!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
First cruise ever and I absolutely loved my cabin. The fresh air from a balcony would have been great but this was the perfect size, had plenty of storage and outlets, didn’t use the power bar I brought. The desk could be a bit bigger and the toilet not enclosed but otherwise an amazing option for a solo traveler. Actually my only complaint is there’s no fridge in the room and that sucked, especially when the solo lounge wasn’t restocked in the late evenings.
Ship tip
Don’t over pack and plan to wear clothes multiple times. Go to activities. Mingle and try new things. SOLOS -go to the meet ups and make friends! For those who get or may get sea sick, start any meds and or patches a few days before the cruise.
The train ride was great. Very informative and spectacular views. Walked in the city and went to the Skagway Brewing company for lunch - great atmosphere, food and drinks.
Ship started disembarking early, which stressed me out as I had just woken up, so had to rush up to eat and get ready. Talked to others and could have taken my time. The complaints come after I was off the ship. My colour was held up for grabbing our bags due to an unknown reason, no other group was waiting and the porters had already moved on to other colours and areas. The biggest complaint, not specifically the ship itself but partly NCL and the port BUT WOW what a chaotic mess traffic was on the street as people were leaving and arriving; busses, vehicles, transports. Such a bad memory to end the trip so disorganized.
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