RMS Olympic Posted October 27, 2016 #1 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Any cruisers out there interested in this next new ship supposedly designed for Alaska? The books open in January so I have till then to decide if I will book her crossing or take her first Alaska cruise out of Seattle. The Panama Canal cruise using the new locks is enticing but it would probably be A 14 day cruise and that's too long for me. A 10 night crossing to Miami might be fun in April. A shake down cruise could be fun! Anyone considering this ship?7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oppalopa Posted October 27, 2016 #2 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Oh Yea I hope so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnatello Posted November 3, 2016 #3 Share Posted November 3, 2016 (edited) No thank you! Hubby and I went on NCL a couple of years ago...never again! We'll stick with "X" ,HAL and Princess. Edited November 3, 2016 by donnatello Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Olympic Posted November 6, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted November 6, 2016 When I posted I was looking for those interested in this new ship, I did not expect a " never again" comment. I guess I should have posted who wouldn't be caught dead on this new ship. I avoided NCL for years because my tastes leaned towards Princess, Regent, Hal. But I had such a great experience on Getaway it made me turn back to NCL. Now I will state I booked the Vibe and dined only in the specialty restaurants. Thinking the Getaway was a fluke I sailed Escape....again an excellent experience. Pros: crew was stellar, and very family friendlly. Staff and officers very visible and always went out of their way to ask if there were any problems...something that has disappeared on other lines in my opinion. Specialty dining exceptionally good for a mass market ship. Entertainment was excellent. Add to this a drink package included in my fare was fantastic. t These new ships also afford a single passenger the choice to economize with their loft/ solo cabins. I booked a balcony and then followed up with a solo cabin for the experience.....no problems. Cons : New ships too big. Overcrowding due to last minute price drops. Horrific pool areas. But by paying for a vibe pass I have an adult area with hot tubs, a bartender and no shortage of deck chairs. For the money I can't complain on these new ships. As I am a Princess cruiser, I have to admit comparing my last 2 Princess cruises against my last 2 NCL cruises, I had a better time on NCL. After 80 cruises I now find how I am treated more important than the hardware....but itinerary can take priority overall. As for Bliss...I look forward to her crossing the pond. I use to make maiden voyages back when a new ship was unique and rare, now they are common place. But Bliss will be different than her siblings in that she is being built for Alaska.....so I am going to give her a try...shoot my last NCL maiden voyage was on the Dreamward! To each their own.....at such time as NCL provides a poor experience I will turn away. I sail on NCL Jade in 3 weeks to see how their older ships fare. Then in Feb its onto Wind star Breeze in Costa Rice...how's that for mixing it up. But I guess someone out there will say...WindStar...yuck...it's no Seabourn. To each their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiamiSpartan Posted November 13, 2016 #5 Share Posted November 13, 2016 I would LOVE to do the 14 day trip out of Miami......Love their new ships.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Olympic Posted November 13, 2016 Author #6 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Start saving those pennies! I am now guessing the crossing will be in May and as I never have crossed this will give me a chance. Just to think I will be sailing on a virgin just like me👹👹👹 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiser Bruiser Posted November 18, 2016 #7 Share Posted November 18, 2016 Any cruisers out there interested in this next new ship supposedly designed for Alaska? The books open in January so I have till then to decide if I will book her crossing or take her first Alaska cruise out of Seattle. The Panama Canal cruise using the new locks is enticing but it would probably be A 14 day cruise and that's too long for me. A 10 night crossing to Miami might be fun in April. A shake down cruise could be fun!Anyone considering this ship?7 Count me very interested. Bliss may even be enough to get me to return to Alaska. And that's something I swore I would never do, especially as I live in green, wet Portland, Oregon. But yes, what a way to do a Panama Canal sailing. And I'm especially interested in its off-season destination. Come on New Zealand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Olympic Posted November 18, 2016 Author #8 Share Posted November 18, 2016 I am hoping for New Zealand! I am in the planning stages for. New Zealand cruise either on NCL or Princess. So many ships heading into the Australia NZ market makes competition interesting. With Carnival bringing in a ship for year round cruises out of Tampa I have to believe NCL will have to do the same so Carnival doesn't have a monopoly. They could shift the Jewel out of Australia to Tampa and move Bliss into Australia/ NZ. Well come January the Bliss reservations open....I am going to try for the crossing if it's a 10 to 11 day crossing unless I see a late in the year NZ cruise. Time will tell. Next week it's the Norwegian Jade....maybe I will find out some new nfo 🤓 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcastlemam Posted November 18, 2016 #9 Share Posted November 18, 2016 I'm really interested have a big birthday coming up in 2018 May so hoping to do the first Alaska sailing however I love a good TA and have got Panama Canal on the bucket list too so will have to wait and see what I end up booking [emoji15] Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyB Posted December 3, 2016 #10 Share Posted December 3, 2016 Definitely doing the Panama Canal and first Alaskan. If I can get off work, I may do the TA as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Olympic Posted December 27, 2016 Author #11 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Reservations supposedly open in January....so I am waiting for info. As I have booked an Alaska cruise on Princess this coming September I will now book Bliss on her crossing. Since the cabin set up on Bliss should mirror Escape I hope to book a cabin overlooking the bow. Curious as to what air fare NCL will offer. Hope there will be a fun crowd on the Bliss.......👹 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperanne Posted December 28, 2016 #12 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Reservations supposedly open in January....so I am waiting for info. As I have booked an Alaska cruise on Princess this coming September I will now book Bliss on her crossing. Since the cabin set up on Bliss should mirror Escape I hope to book a cabin overlooking the bow. Curious as to what air fare NCL will offer. Hope there will be a fun crowd on the Bliss.......👹 So how was your time on the Jade? I am a bit interested in the Bliss, but never really wanted to go on a mega ship. I like the Sun, Dawn, and Gem. . . and was actually told by several people how much i would not like the mega ships. (I have difficulty walking). So really thinking hard. with the Escape coming to New York, and the Gem going to New Orleans though I may have to learn to like the bigger ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Olympic Posted December 29, 2016 Author #13 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Did not want to do a review but will give some feedback anyway. I really enjoyed the size of the ship; the cruise was sold out but the ship did not seem crowded except for the buffet. The ship was in good repair and looked well taken care of. The interior decor....very dated and made me think more of a late 1980's ship than when she was actually built. Elevators very very very slow. As far as the experience I would summarize when comparing to the new ships in one word "less". I do not like mega ships but the Getaway and Escape truly out did the Jade in service, food and entertainment. Of particular note was the service which was fair in comparison to the new ships which was wonderful. The crew on the Jade were not a happy crew, less smiles, less interaction with the passengers, less proactive than reactive in their work. In my opinion this was reflective of the senior staff of the Jade. On the Getaway and Escape the officers were very visible, the hotel manager , bar manager and restaurant manager were every where the entire cruise. This was not the case on the Jade... I saw them maybe twice the entire week. They were not as friendly on the Jade and I think this carried over into the crew. So in my opinion the management on the new big ships was far better. The food....just didn't seem as good, not bad but just not wow especially in the buffet. I dinned each evening in the specialty restaurants, the experience just seemed a little "less". Entertainment though not bad seemed less...almost as if it was lower budgeted. I still enjoyed the cruise but now want to sail another jewel class ship to see if it boils down to ship management and not a case of NCL making the smaller ships the second string and resulting in just "less" for the money. One final comment....clothing guidelines were not enforced. I saw people done in Le Bistro in shorts, at shirt and flip flops. I never saw such a dress down crowd... People disembarked with the carry on or back back for the week... Which explains their wearing the same clothes every day. The line has no control over the passengers but if their are rules for the dimming rooms they should be enforced. My jaw dropped when a gentlemen got up from his table in Le Bistro, opened his shirt completely and walked the entire room basically bare chested after dinning. The world of cruising has definitely changed😕 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthousemom Posted January 5, 2017 #14 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Sign me up! While I usually cruise with Princess and Royal Caribbean, in 2015 we thought we'd give NCL another chance. We did the 2 day from Hamburg to Southampton on the Escape and LOVED it! Then we did a CTN on Breakaway and loved that, too! I'm all about the new ships, and I'd love to do the TA, the 14 day from Miami and Alaska! I just chatted with NCL and the new bookings are supposed to go on sale January 10. :):):) Stay tuned!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Olympic Posted January 12, 2017 Author #15 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I booked the first Alaska sailing on June 2,2018. I wanted to do the crossing to Mijamee, but a 12 day to NewYork wasn't enticing enough. So Alaska bound I am sailing in a cat OA on deck 13 overlooking the bow. Since I am doing the same trip this Sept on Princess I already got the air route figured out... Ok, who is going to go on the Alaska cruise? By the way next up at least for planning purposes will be the Celebrity Edge....🤓 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjbdtz Posted January 13, 2017 #16 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Definitely doing the Panama Canal and first Alaskan. If I can get off work, I may do the TA as well. We've got a room held on the Panama Canal on May 10th... hoping it gets a bit cheaper, it's crazy expensive right now (Haven) Stephen . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dswallow Posted January 19, 2017 #17 Share Posted January 19, 2017 I booked a solo inside cabin for the 5/10/2018 Miami to Los Angeles Panama Canal crossing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnustad Posted January 26, 2017 #18 Share Posted January 26, 2017 We are booked for the April 2018 Inaugural Cruise. Should be fun. TheDougOut is also booked. He was the one on the Escape with the live blogging the whole trip that sparked a ton of interest. A roll call for this cruise is coming along nicely. Come join us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadMenTellNo Tales Posted February 6, 2017 #19 Share Posted February 6, 2017 We are booked for the July 7th, 2018 Alaskan 7 Day. Can't wait, looking forward to more of the deck plans being released. Currently there is a small group of us going, about 7 total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollTideGuy Posted February 21, 2017 #20 Share Posted February 21, 2017 We are considering the Alaska cruise on Bliss next Summer. We loved the Getaway and the Escape. NCL's new ships really appeal to our tastes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Olympic Posted February 22, 2017 Author #21 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Very excited about the first Alaskan cruise as it will be her first time in each port. Plan on dining in all the specialty restaurants.for the entire cruise....hope to find table mates for Cagneys, le Bistro and whatever new eatery materializes. I tried Bayamo on the Escape not expecting to like it, the food was stunning. So any other foodies out there, let's get our feed bag on🤓 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiser Bruiser Posted February 22, 2017 #22 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Very excited about the first Alaskan cruise as it will be her first time in each port. Plan on dining in all the specialty restaurants.for the entire cruise....hope to find table mates for Cagneys, le Bistro and whatever new eatery materializes. I tried Bayamo on the Escape not expecting to like it, the food was stunning. So any other foodies out there, let's get our feed bag on🤓 I ended up switching to an Eastern Caribbean itinerary Thanksgiving week 2018. Only three vacation days used for the whole trip. You'll have to do a review so we can learn all the good tips. Of course knowing NCL, they may change things before I get to experience them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Olympic Posted February 22, 2017 Author #23 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Hey Bruiser! I might do a second sailing on Bliss in Late Nov as well. It will be dictated by the first sailing of the Celebrity edge, when she starts service and also her itinerary. I am also trying to save up for a New Zealand cruise in Feb 2019. Whether it will be on Princess or NCL remains to be seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken and Audra Posted March 11, 2017 #24 Share Posted March 11, 2017 We're booked on the Panama Canal cruise! So exciting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr6773 Posted March 11, 2017 #25 Share Posted March 11, 2017 After swearing 2018 was going to be the year we skip a big vacation to get some projects done around the house, a friend of mine tells me he's looking to get a group for Bliss in late June '18 for Alaska. Wife and I are torn...would LOVE to sail the Bliss and compare our Alaska experience on the Pearl. Would have to take our daughters, as they were pretty excited when we showed them pics from the other sailing. Advantage is just needing to shoot up to Seattle for us. Still looking at a decent chunk of change,though..so we shall see just how pricing pans out with group rates. Love the idea of a ship that still has "new car smell" :hearteyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now