Anyone ready to book Alaska on the Bliss for 2018???

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Is Bliss the ONLY NCL ship sailing Alaska in 2018? I was hoping for a smaller ship also - does anyone know?

 

It looks like NCL will have three ships in Alaska: Sun, Pearl and Bliss (from smallest to largest). Compare that to Princess, which will have seven ships in Alaska in summer 2018.

 

NCL is missing the boat, if the Bliss is doing Alaska. Inside Passage will be tight, cruising either Glacier Bay or the other glaciers will be next to impossible. Tender in every port, 4000 people trying to get off ship to do shore excursions will be a nightmare. I personally think NCL should use their smallest ships for Alaska.

 

Star Princess holds 3,100 pax, double occupancy. Norwegian Bills holds 4,004. That doesn't seem like too big of a difference.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

It's part of the Breakaway Plus Class, so I'm hoping it will be similar the the Escape. Our first cruise was last summer on the Escape and we're officially spoiled. We'd like to sail on the Escape again, but the thought of booking a new ship before it even sails is tempting (getting in on good deals). I also think it would be nice to see Alaska.

 

I'm ready to book! I've been looking at the Escape's deck plans to try and get an idea of the layout. Plan to be on the inaugural sailing from Seattle to Alaska in June 2018. Going to splurge and get an aft balcony!

 

Bliss will be much more like Joy than Escape, as it will feature a forward observation lounge, the indoor activity space, and more sheltered outdoor spaces. Plus the inboard life boats. Also it will hold 262 fewer pax in a slightly larger ship compared with Escape. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a lot of information about either ship, so we're all left hanging until NCL gives us a big data dump.

 

I'm ready to book so long as Bliss has studios in place of Joy's Concierge-Class (i.e. 2nd Class).

Edited January 1, 2017 by Cruiser Bruiser

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I too am looking to book the Bliss, thinking first week in September for 2018 :)

[I_heart_racing]

I am looking to book the Bliss for my husbands 40th and our 10 year wedding anniversary.

 

 

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[Moby0215]

The DH and I will be looking at Bliss but not sure about Alaska. We would love to go to Alaska again but also wonder about the itinerary. Hurry up January so we can see! Of course we will wait until there are great offers before we book.;)

 

 

 

Pretty sure it's guaranteed that Bliss is doing the Alaska Seattle RT.

 

 

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[tortoisegirl]

I was so excited to see a mega ship on the West coast, especially out of Seattle (where we live). We booked NCL Bliss for the last Alaska trip of the first season, end of Sept 2018. At first it seemed really expensive (just over $4k all in for two people for a balcony cabin), but then I looked at how much Alaska cruises were going for (over $3k all in for two people for a balcony cabin - way more than past years). Also, we got a ton of perks - beverage package, 3 night specialty dining package, prepaid gratuities, $100 OBC, and $50pp deposit. We've done Alaska cruises twice before, both round trip Seattle, with Glacier Bay, on NCL Pearl and Golden Princess.

 

This itinerary is inferior, but it is more about the ship (and sailing locally( than anything else. I also far prefer May to September for Alaska cruises, with the extra ice (looks more Alaska-like) and longer days, but they aren't starting Alaska trips until June, which was even more spendy. I'm not 100% sure we'll keep the reservation, but I knew I'd regret not booking with these perks.

 

One thing I was surprised about was cabin selection...we wanted a mid-ship balcony, and the deck choices were slim, besides the categories being listed as available on many decks. Are they releasing more cabins later on, or have they really been selling out? It was also tough to pick a cabin not knowing where any public spaces are. I can imagine a lot of folks like us booking because it is a new ship and they are offering a lot of perks, then cancelling later on.

 

Any thoughts on Tracy Arm / Sawyer Glacier for a mega ship? I'm guessing they won't go to far in, especially since Juneau is the same afternoon.

 

Looking forward to more details on the Bliss. That forward observation lounge looks awesome. Hoping we see more new ships on the West coast now!

[cabincop]

Booked Bliss for June 2019. Spa balcony so excited

 

 

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[tortoisegirl]

Booked Bliss for June 2019. Spa balcony so excited

 

 

Wow its crazy they are booking so far out (>2yr). Yeah, I too am really excited...way more excited for Bliss (1.5yr out) than our cruise this Sept (Pacific Coastal on RCI Explorer). We mostly booked the Pacific Coastal as it was the cheapest cruise for us, considering it is round trip Seattle so we won't have airfare. At this point we mostly cruise just to cruise (ie. chill), not for the destination, as the places we want to go are too expensive / require too much time off work. Anxiously awaiting more info on Bliss. We've never gone on a new ship.

[Escaping2016]

Booked Bliss for August 2018. I too am excited. I like your perks better than what I got when and how did you book.

 

 

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[asubaru]

The Bliss will not venture to TA but it's possible there will be an excursion from Juneau.

 

I did this (NCL excursion done by Allen Marine Tours) last year and it was awesome. The sights were up close and spectacular. The sights along the way were great and the guides were very informative and helpful in pointing out things of interest/wildlife. You can check Trip Advisor reviews (under Allen Marine Tours) to get an idea of what to expect.

 

he downside is that it takes the entire 8 hours in port. TA was a very memorable trade off for "missing" Juneau.

 

 

Any thoughts on Tracy Arm / Sawyer Glacier for a mega ship? I'm guessing they won't go to far in, especially since Juneau is the same afternoon.

 

Looking forward to more details on the Bliss. That forward observation lounge looks awesome. Hoping we see more new ships on the West coast now!

[tortoisegirl]

Booked Bliss for August 2018. I too am excited. I like your perks better than what I got when and how did you book.

 

I booked yesterday through an online travel agency. NCL.com was offering all except the prepaid gratuities and OBC, a difference of almost $300, so not insignificant.

 

 

The Bliss will not venture to TA but it's possible there will be an excursion from Juneau

 

 

 

So are you saying that the itinerary's "Cruise Sawyer Glacier" is only a "service call", and they will make no attempt to cruise into the fjord? I thought this was a possibility, but I thought in that case they had to list it was a service call, or it would list a 30 min stop or something. I know that the average itinerary which lists cruising TA doesn't in fact make it very far though, due to time if not ice conditions. We aren't booking this for the itinerary though, and will consider the very likely add on excursion for TA. We've done Juneau twice before, so "missing" that port wouldn't be an issue. Not sure I'd like a long day on a small boat though.

[asubaru]

No, I wasn't saying anything about Sawyer, just commenting on the Tracey Arm part. The excursion did get close to Sawyer though and we spent time viewing.

 

I have never done a "cruise past" itinerary, nor do I know how close the ship could get. Odd that I had the exact same itinerary on the Pearl last summer and Sawyer wasn't mentioned in the itinerary nor on the ship.

 

 

I booked yesterday through an online travel agency. NCL.com was offering all except the prepaid gratuities and OBC, a difference of almost $300, so not insignificant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So are you saying that the itinerary's "Cruise Sawyer Glacier" is only a "service call", and they will make no attempt to cruise into the fjord? I thought this was a possibility, but I thought in that case they had to list it was a service call, or it would list a 30 min stop or something. I know that the average itinerary which lists cruising TA doesn't in fact make it very far though, due to time if not ice conditions. We aren't booking this for the itinerary though, and will consider the very likely add on excursion for TA. We've done Juneau twice before, so "missing" that port wouldn't be an issue. Not sure I'd like a long day on a small boat though.

[tortoisegirl]

I have never done a "cruise past" itinerary, nor do I know how close the ship could get. Odd that I had the exact same itinerary on the Pearl last summer and Sawyer wasn't mentioned in the itinerary nor on the ship.

 

 

NCL Pearl only did Glacier Bay, while NCL Jewel (which in 2018 is being replaced by Bliss) does Tracy Arm / Sawyer Glacier. On the Pearl, TA was only an excursion option, leaving from Juneau, so it wouldn't be listed in the itinerary. On the itineraries which list TA as their scenic cruising (like NCL Jewel and now Bliss), I have heard the TA excursion leaves from the ship when it enters TA, cutting the travel time as they don't have to leave from Juneau. The excursion typically gets far closer then the ship does.

 

Some ships (I have heard in particular Holland America) list TA as only a "service call", meaning they don't even attempt to traverse the fjord; the itinerary should say that though, as is often listed as a 30 minute stop in that case. Others don't get very far, due to time and/or ice conditions (as Sawyer has retreated so much it is nearly impossible to make it there and then make it to Juneau on time that afternoon, even if the route is completely clear of ice, which often doesn't happen until mid-late season). I have read that the excursions which leave from the ship on ships which list TA as their scenic cruising often drop off in Juneau afterwards. ie. the NCL cruises from Seattle do not the exact same itinerary, as the scenic cruising varies (Glacier Bay vs. Tracy Arm), as well as the port times and orders.

[xlxo]

Some ships (I have heard in particular Holland America) list TA as only a "service call", meaning they don't even attempt to traverse the fjord; the itinerary should say that though, as is often listed as a 30 minute stop in that case.

Yes, I was on such a trip..... the main itinerary glacier viewing is held in Glacier Bay in another day. The TA Fjord is 31 miles long, so instead of spending the day there. The main ship stops briefly outside Tracy Arm for those wanting to do the small ship excursion deeper into the Fjord and possibly Sawyer. The main ship continues to Juneau for the day. The TA excursion rejoins the mothership in Juneau.

[Winston Wolf]

Booked Bliss for June 2019. Spa balcony so excited

 

 

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You meant 2018, right? I don't see that 2019 is open.