LIVE ALASKA NCL BLISS 04-22-2023 to 04-29-2023 Review

[ChiefMateJRK]

7 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Get a mudslide! And, blow some bubbles. 🙂

 

Have a most wonderful time exploring Alaska's early season! 

Thanks. In Skagway now. I’m told train trip is shortened due to snow higher up. Weather here is very nice. 
 

[Bob121]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks. In Skagway now. I’m told train trip is shortened due to snow higher up. Weather here is very nice. 
 

How do they have you leaving the ship? Are there buses or tenders to take you down the dock?

[ChiefMateJRK]

23 hours ago, graphicguy said:

I don't have a traditional drink once I'm on board and settled in.  I'm a beer and bourbon kind of guy.  Thinking of getting something "foo-foo" as a new tradition.  Have to ponder, and am open for suggestions.

I’ve been making a meaningful dent in the Guinness and Bulleit stock, but will try to leave some for you.

 

disclaimer: I might not try very hard. LOL.     I also remember Homer’s words of wisdom. “Trying is the first step towards failure.”

[TPgal]

On 4/15/2023 at 8:29 AM, VUCruiser said:

Pikes Market this morning (4/15). 

If you want to sound like a local it's "Pike Place Market".  🙂 

[TPgal]

On 4/16/2023 at 12:02 PM, depplep said:

I also noticed on your itinerary as well as mine for Encore it says Victoria is in port 8pm-11:59pm.  Surely this is a typo??

It's absolutely NOT a typo.  The ship has to stop at a non-US port and Victoria it is.   I wouldn't book any excursions or even really plan to do anything, the port is close to town but it will still be a hike to the fun part of Victoria.

Being from Seattle, we can zip up to Victoria fairly easily on a weekend via the Victoria Clipper and enjoy all the wonders.   

Our August 12-19 Bliss cruise has this silly stop as well.  Our plan is to just have a leisurely dinner and  enjoy the last night on the ship with fewer people.

Note that in Canada there are limits to how many bars can be open, so your favorite beverage location on the ship may not be available.  

EDIT:  Whoops, I didn't see that three other folks responded as well.  I stand by my comment on the bars, so am leaving this here vs. deleting.  

Sail on friends! 

Edited April 18, 2023 by TPgal
an oops

[depplep]

And being the night before we return at 8pm? No way. I will be having my final drink or two before bed. Wherever that may be on the ship. 

[graphicguy]

36 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I’ve been making a meaningful dent in the Guinness and Bulleit stock, but will try to leave some for you.

 

disclaimer: I might not try very hard. LOL.     I also remember Homer’s words of wisdom. “Trying is the first step towards failure.”

I expect no less.  Good for you.  I'll gladly take the scraps.

 

🏢🍾🥂🥃

[fastpitchdad]

29 minutes ago, TPgal said:

If you want to sound like a local it's "Pike Place Market".  🙂 

 

Or just "The Market" 😉 

Edited April 18, 2023 by fastpitchdad

[graphicguy]

47 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks. In Skagway now. I’m told train trip is shortened due to snow higher up. Weather here is very nice. 
 

Good news about the weather.  Did they say how much shorter the train excursion is?  Am wondering if I should ask for a partial refund.

[depplep]

I've noticed a lot of you cruise Alaska frequently. What do you do in port after you've been there a couple of times? I feel like this is a once or twice in a lifetime destination for us. 

[TPgal]

Just now, fastpitchdad said:

 

Of just "The Market" 😉 

I almost added this, but didn't want to give away too much insider info.  🙂

[AK Dreaming]

6 hours ago, graphicguy said:

I get it.  If I had a cabin with more than 2 people staying in it, I may view it differently.  As of right now, no harm-no foul!

 

It's good to read that others are off to a grand start to the Alaska season on the Bliss.

 

I just pulled out my roll aboard.  That means laundry and packing come next.

I packed on Sunday.  Woke up this morning realizing everything I forgot.  Plan to repack tonight after work.  Flying out on Friday.

[TPgal]

1 minute ago, depplep said:

I've noticed a lot of you cruise Alaska frequently. What do you do in port after you've been there a couple of times? I feel like this is a once or twice in a lifetime destination for us. 

I will answer as a Seattle based person, unlike the FL ports the only place you can really go from Seattle is Alaska, so if we want an easy cruise that we don't have to fly to - Alaska it is.  

This is our second time to go and we're looking forward to the following things on this repeat cruise:
1) The ship - our first journey was on the Pearl, so the Bliss feels fancy and new.
2) The knowledge that the ports are nice, but the real beauty is the journey so don't look for us in the hot tub, we'll be on our balcony enjoying the views.
3) Knowledge is Power:  We don't have any need to 'see it all' so we aren't planning excursions at each stop, but instead booked one that gets us close to the glaciers and on the water.  It was more than we would spend normally but since we've already done the train over the pass (fun!) and panning for gold (silly) it's all about the nature for us.

Maybe someday we'll get a cruise destination from Seattle that is up the coast, over to Hawaii and back, or some other thing, but for now, if we don't want to fly... Alaska it is. 

[depplep]

Same reason we do the Caribbean, but we are so over the same islands I can't bear the thought of another Caribbean cruise. I know it's still flying but does Princess still do Hawaii out of San Francisco? I very excited to try NCL almost as much as seeing Alaska.

Edited April 18, 2023 by depplep
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[AK Dreaming]

13 minutes ago, depplep said:

I've noticed a lot of you cruise Alaska frequently. What do you do in port after you've been there a couple of times? I feel like this is a once or twice in a lifetime destination for us. 

Hi there!  I'm also a Steeler fan living in Florida.  This is my fourth time to Alaska.  My first time was going to be a once in a lifetime trip.  Once there, that changes for many.  I've been to a lot of places but Alaska is by far the most beautiful.  I"ve done my share of Whale watching.  But every time we find something new depending on what month we go.  Helicopter to a Glacier, Float plane to see Bears, wild life viewing trips and of course shopping.  This time we are trying the Train in Skagway, mushers camp and kayaking.  Already planning my next trip in my head.  

[depplep]

WOW, ok, maybe we will decide it's not a one and done for us after all. GO STEELERS!

[TPgal]

4 minutes ago, depplep said:

Same reason we do the Caribbean, but we are so over the same islands I can't bear the thought of another Caribbean cruise. I know it's still flying but does Princess still do Hawaii out of San Francisco? I very excited to try NCL almost as much as seeing Alaska.

We simply fly to Hawaii and enjoy our 10 days on the islands.  If I was going to spend that many days at sea I would want guaranteed pool space and well, we know how people are.  

We had been booked on a 7 day cruise out of San Diego to Mexico that was supposed to leave in March of 2020 an well, we know that that turned out.   That reservation morphed into a few things which ultimately ended up being a Caribbean cruise which for this moldy Seattle crew was fun, but I'm not sure how many times I would want to do that. 

So, for Mexico...again we fly. 

If the ports are the destination, I think going directly and being there for days is best (for us) but to cruise is to enjoy the ship and have interesting mini-exposure to the ports.   The eight hours we spent in Cartagena qualifies us to say we've been TO Colombia, but we haven't really explored or experienced Colombia.   

[eileeshb]

On 4/17/2023 at 9:06 PM, graphicguy said:

I don't have a traditional drink once I'm on board and settled in.  I'm a beer and bourbon kind of guy.  Thinking of getting something "foo-foo" as a new tradition.  Have to ponder, and am open for suggestions.

If you want to go a little off the beaten track try a matador, maltings bar usually have it on their menu.  

[depplep]

Makes sense. We have been flying to Cancun every year (1 1/2 hr flight) and I will lay at the pool from 6:30 am to 3pm and don't have to worry about getting a pool chair at an all inclusive. Wish we had the luxury of flying to Hawaii.  Seattle is literally on the other side of the world from us. 6hrs from Orlando. We flew 8hrs to Rome last year.😒

[eileeshb]

2 minutes ago, depplep said:

Makes sense. We have been flying to Cancun every year (1 1/2 hr flight) and I will lay at the pool from 6:30 am to 3pm and don't have to worry about getting a pool chair at an all inclusive. Wish we had the luxury of flying to Hawaii.  Seattle is literally on the other side of the world from us. 6hrs from Orlando. We flew 8hrs to Rome last year.😒

I can’t do the sitting in a sun lounger all day thing at all so a cruise to warmth with something different everyday is right up my alley. Btw on length of flight I’ll raise you Shannon, Ireland to Seattle via Boston in October, I went to San Juan Puerto Rico from Dublin, Ireland via JFK last year for my southern Caribbean cruise. I’m not expecting to do many Alaska cruises as the weather’s likely to be a bit too much like home. 

[oaktreerb]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks. In Skagway now. I’m told train trip is shortened due to snow higher up. Weather here is very nice. 
 

Is the ship docked at the railroad dock (RRA)?  Can you walk to town or do you have to tender to shore?

I know that the officials are monitoring the slide.  Skagway is a great port for hiking.  

[depplep]

Uggh, I hate to even think about Ireland to Seattle.

[SightCRR]

Our favorite cruises have been 14 day that include smaller town stops like Homer and Kodiak. We go for the sightseeing but my wife is getting a little tired of them. With the glaciers getting smaller each year we try to see them as much as possible. Portage Glacier has a multi million dollar visitor center that you can't see the glacier from because of glacier getting smaller. Salmon and crab fishing has been cut back and soon there might not be as many whales to see. Hard to beat the bubble net feeding of pod of whales. We had to cancel our last scheduled cruise because of health issues. sightcrr. 

[LauraAnneC]

40 minutes ago, eileeshb said:

I can’t do the sitting in a sun lounger all day thing at all so a cruise to warmth with something different everyday is right up my alley. Btw on length of flight I’ll raise you Shannon, Ireland to Seattle via Boston in October, I went to San Juan Puerto Rico from Dublin, Ireland via JFK last year for my southern Caribbean cruise. I’m not expecting to do many Alaska cruises as the weather’s likely to be a bit too much like home. 

I’ve been looking at Caribbean cruises for next year out of San Juan. How was the trip from Dublin? That’s where I’d be flying from too. Would you do it again?

 

thanks! Laura

[ChiefMateJRK]

24 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

Is the ship docked at the railroad dock (RRA)?  Can you walk to town or do you have to tender to shore?

I know that the officials are monitoring the slide.  Skagway is a great port for hiking.  

South railroad dock.  They shuttle you past rock slide area. Long wait for shuttle.