Bliss vs Encore

[Seany527]

I’m another vote for the Bliss. 
 

So much more deck space for people to spread out with having Spice H20. 
 

Jersey Boys on the Bliss is a great show. 
 

There are many ships that visit the itinerary the Encore is doing. West coast cruises are harder to come by but they seem to be picking up frequency in recent years. 
I also love Mazatlan. It is a beautiful location.
 

 

[greatestvalue]

On 6/1/2021 at 4:53 PM, hallux said:

I've sailed the Bliss on the Mexican Riviera itinerary.  I did a cruise line excursion in Puerto Vallarta, a self-guided walking tour in Mazatlan, and a self-booked excursion in Cabo San Lucas that didn't go quite as we'd hoped.  All 3 were still very nice, though Cabo felt a little rushed so that time could be made up.

 

I would sail the Bliss again in a HEARTBEAT, though much of what I liked is duplicated on the Encore - so much in the way of public spaces with the Observation Lounge, Waterfront, The Atrium.  The food choices were plentiful.

 

I will agree on the Spice H2O sentiments - one reason I've decided I'd avoid the Encore.

Which ship excursion did you do in Puerto Vallarta?

Im headin there in December on the same cruise as @summertravel- we are both on the roll call. 

[hallux]

54 minutes ago, greatestvalue said:

Which ship excursion did you do in Puerto Vallarta?

We did a bus tour of the city that took us to a couple scenic areas including the Malecon, City Hall, a cathedral near City Hall and then the El Set restaurant where a John Huston movie was filmed.

[valleyvillage]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

We did a bus tour of the city that took us to a couple scenic areas including the Malecon, City Hall, a cathedral near City Hall and then the El Set restaurant where a John Huston movie was filmed.

Night of the Iguana with Richard Burton! 

[hallux]

12 hours ago, valleyvillage said:

Night of the Iguana with Richard Burton! 

That's the one, thanks!  We also stopped at a place called "Gringo Gulch" that has a statue of John Huston.  I guess Puerto Vallarta meant a lot to him and he did a lot for the city.

[alohayall]

Last night, I read about 90 reviews of the Encore in preparation for cruising in Alaska in September.

 

A lot of them are not pleased with the Encore in a way that might affect your cruise planning:  deck space and deck chairs on the pool deck.

 

The go-carts, laser tag, Haven, and limited-quantity for-fee Vibe Beach area seem to have left about 1/3 of that deck available to accommodate nearly 4,000 cruisers.

 

The Encore sounds perfect for cold-weather Alaska, with its large climate-protected Observation Lounge.  But its twin, the Bliss, seems a better option when traveling to warm weather climes.

[hallux]

@alohayallthat's one reason I'm planning to do my best to avoid that ship.  Spice H2o was removed in favor of the laser tag (which was moved in order to make space for expansion of Haven or Vibe deck space), as someone that will likely never sail in The Haven and REFUSES to pay extra for a spot on deck, this was a step backwards.