Tutontow

Jim always has great videos and this one is no exception. I think Bliss is amazing and looking forward to Encore. I never cared for the Breakaway class ships. I sailed Getaway and I probably was in the minority but thought it was a step backwards from Epic. The waterfront was a huge plus but every other aspect of the ship was a smaller venue than Epic.

These Breakaway-Plus ships really have fixed my complaints about the Breakaway class.

It does not get any better than this

 

Well that settles that. He takes the award for the best video review of the Bliss. My wife commented that he had a great speaking voice. He should, he started off in radio.

Then line up and wait for the complainer to whine about nickles and dimes. Best solution, go to the OL and get a seat that is not taken and stop worrying about how others are enjoying their cruise!

I agree with you. From the looks of it the windows in the OL are huge. Does it really matter if you are sitting directly in front of them. I just don't get it.

Common courtesy. Does anyone know what that is anymore?

I sure do, the problem is, it is not too common these days, especially in crowded spaces.

I gamble a lot, minimum 5-6 hrs. plus on each day of each cruise. I only play table games, usually craps and roulette, sometimes blackjack. I'll play $20-$100 pass line and come bets at the craps table and double odds. Sometimes I'll have $2k plus on the table at a time. I'd play that for 16 hours each day if my wife didn't come and get me to eat. Blackjack i'll play $25 minimum for the better odds. Sometimes at roulette I'll bet $1000/$1500/ spin. My buy in is usually $1000-$5000. I'm usually a break even player. I do get great offers. This year an elite cruise (balcony) with $300 cash, two ultra cruises (balcony) $1000 cash each and $200 room credit, a premier cruise (balcony) $100 cash and $200 room credit, and a free suite with $200 room credit. Each of those was $100-$200/person plus tax and gratuity.

I don't know what other cruise lines offer, but I like Carnival and they've been pretty good to me. The only exception was the last carnival cruise I took in May. I gambled more often than anyone I saw, not counting the slot players. I got an interior room offer for $200 with a $100 room credit and free drinks. That was a real insult after all elite, ultra, premier, and free suite cruise offers.

IMHO it to me it looks like once CCL thinks they have us hooked the offers start getting worse and worse. I like cruising and I like gambling but if my offers ever dry up with NCL my cruising will be few and far between.

Real gamblers always win. Just make sure you sit at 3rd base at BJ, 1st base at Carny games, 12 or 6 oclock at craps, play 25 at roulette, and sit at the slot machine to the left of someone playing. Follow these rules!!!!!!!!

I find it mind boggling that Las Vegas can offer all of those free drinks and cheap hotel rooms with everyone staying there and coming home even or winning a little :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I can't speak to your information about all of the games but what you wrote about Blackjack is not true. In all of my NCL cruises:

- Only $6 BJ tables ($5 main bet, $1 side bet) pay 6:5 on Blackjack. $10+ pay standard 3:2. I usualyl sit at a $15 table and have always been paid 3:2.

- Double after split is definitely allowed, except when splitting Aces in which you only get one card (standard across most casinos, land or sea).

- I've doubled down with an 8 and have seen some do so on a 12 (ugh), so the 9/10/11 rule is not true either

You are correct. Only the $5.00 tables on NCL are 6:5. The $100.00 even had the dealer holding on soft 17 the last time I sailed with them. $25.00 and up was a shoe game also.

Thanks for all the reply's about Q. Knowing this is prepared off ship days ahead of time I will avoid. Not even close to Texas Barbecue...

I know what you mean. I love barbecue and was excited to see Q coming to the Bliss. Not anymore. I do a lot of smoking, grilling and BBQ here at the house. Quite frankly there is no way this could compare to meat taken from the smoker and plated immediately.

I will still go there but most likely won't order any meat.

Front row seat, complete with drink and snack service!

 

 

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That looks like a rough life!!!

Shrimp cocktail

 

 

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Wow, that looks good.

:loudcry::loudcry: I feel the same way!

Ditto

I have to admit drinking a frozen drink won't be the same without a straw. Fortunately my wife is a wine drinker and I drink beer until I get bloated and then switch to bourbon and water which I prefer without a straw. BTW I have used the stainless straws here at the house for a couple of years and they are great.

Care to elaborate on that? I climb aboard in just 3 days out of Rome.

I sailed her twice and loved it both times. The staff, drinks, food, entertainment were all wonderful. The only heartburn was disembarking at Port Canaveral and I have read that NCL will no longer be sailing their megaships out of PC because the port is not set up to handle that many people at once. I will say the pictures of LaCucina's food posted here and the ones posted by Doug in his Live Bliss thread look entirely different. They must have had a lousy chef on jams cruise.

Following

Thanks for doing this live report. I really appreciate you taking the time away from your vacation to share with us.

Thanks Doug for the time you spent on this. I will be on The Bliss in October and this really got me pumped up. Thanks Sue for putting up with Doug doing this during your vacation. I can just see myself now going into the DB2 and saying oh this is the beer Doug talked about, etc, etc.

We’ve done 5 NCL cruises and wear casual shorts at all the specialties (except La Bistro, which is why we do it on the first night of every cruise) Maybe been lucky.

 

 

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Ditto

One of the newer things that has been happening in cocktail culture are cocktails on draft. Just like a beer on draft the cocktail is mixed up and delivered through a draft tap. The District has two of them, you can see them in the pictures of taps at the far right. Maltings has two as well as does Q.

 

They're really good and are in no way comparable to when they premix and keep it in a jug on the counter.

 

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That is good to know. The premix by the pools on the Epic were disgusting. I often wondered how healthy those things were sitting out in the sun all day. After my first one I just stuck to beer. Thanks so much for the great review. I hope the pain goes away soon.

I thought the same thing... :)

Hey now, I'll take that cooler. I've been a Gator for 55 years.

Been following along..it is my nightly entertainment and only adds to our excitement. Agree with everyone else about this being a better promo for ship than the one ncl produced. At that having been said, we are booked in 14154, and this will be the largest ship we have been on, in your opinion, would you recommend this location? We get we are right off the elevators, but haven't had any noise issues in similar locations on other ships, and are willing to risk it. As we are both prone to seasickness, midship is best option. And balcony because why not, and only way to see Alaska...

 

At some point would love to learn how to do a scavenger hunt and how to set up a pub crawl on a ship...

Wow, I will be in 14148 in October. Close to the elevator and close to the Observation Lounge. I can just run up and get a drink and come back to my cabin and enjoy the balcony.

They did on the Escape. Amazing Beatles tribute band

I am a huuuuuuuge Beatles fan and I will never miss an opportunity to go to a Cavern Club. The show on the "Epic" is a night I will never forget. I saw people from 8 to 80 dancing to Twist and Shout and many others. The Beatles really transcends all age groups. It was amazing. I really enjoyed all of the back stories behind every song they played.

Besides the chair hogs, the other thing that disgusted me was pictures of people sleeping on the beautiful OL furniture with their shoes off. Dirty feet ALL OVER the brand new couches and chairs. I hope those people see this review and are embarrased! Why do people think it's ok to use public spaces as their personal bedroom?

 

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It really is a sad commentary how basic manners and consideration for other people are lacking in some people.

the one that made me laugh the most was biker@sea asking for a night shot from the balcony of 8738.

 

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omg rotflmao

Seriously laughing out loud. Like anyone is really gonna do that and the bartender really remembers or cares.

Ditto

Oh, to have such "first world problems"

Thanks for the review. I took the same cruise last April. Unfortunately our excursion to The Blue Hole was cancelled. It looks like we really missed out.