trimom30

Great report!!  It was so great meeting you and your beautiful family on this amazing trip.  Reality has set in - we are currently sorting and doing laundry and we have to make our own lunch!!  Those food pics are great, there were a few things we didn't try that we've put on the list for our November cruise!

2 hours ago, AtlantaAlly said:

Sorry that this is off topic but I’ve heard 2 different answers, so I’m wondering if you would mind being the tie breaker-

 

were there lines to get back onboard in the ports? If so, was there a Haven priority line?

On the day we left, we were being escorted off by the concierge and someone made the comment about needing a priority line after shore excursions and that’s when we were told about the 2 hr prior to departure line that FLcruisergrl mentioned. We never saw/used it but we also didn’t have to wait long when getting back on the ship. 

We just got off the Bliss today and I agree with other posters - the Haven restaurant service is amazing but we did break it up with some specialty restaurants.  We made reservations (and our concierge made some) but on two occasions we were hungry before our reservation and asked if we could be seated early.  They accommodated us both times we tried. 

Ship - Bliss

Deck - 14

Stateroom # - 14880

Stateroom Category – H6 Haven Aft-Facing Penthouse

Starboard or Port Side - Starboard

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – Extremely quiet. Outside of the occasional door slam down the hall we heard nothing.  

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - Yes, there is a door that connects the stateroom next door (down the starboard side, not the aft side).

 

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – The best part of the H6 stateroom is the balcony.  However, the window washing mechanism/device is just off the balcony so your view is impeded when you want to look off the starboard side.  (See pic.)  This was only frustrating during the Alaska sailing through Glacier Bay.  Eventually I was able to get the shots I wanted as the ship rotated but I wish I had known about it before selecting my room, I would have gone down a few decks.  

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - The balcony is large- plenty of room for two loungers, a table and four chairs. We spent a ton of time on the balcony, even on the cold days in Alaska.  

Was wind a problem? - Nope.  Best part of being aft. 

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? - YES.  Not sure it was soot, I think they were tiny beads of "asphalt" from the race track.  It became an issue when it rained and created black "mud" on the balcony and we had to be very careful not to track it into the cabin.  We ended up putting our bath mat down just inside the door.  Unfortunately it was at its worst when we were cruising through Glacier Bay and we were in and out to look at the map, change lenses, etc. and out bath mat was almost black by the time we were done. 

Any specific problems with this cabin? - Outside of the muddy balcony and the weird device in our pics, it was really nice. 

Any other comments? - I liked being Aft but would pick another H6 on a different deck next time. 

We just got off the Bliss, room 14880 (H6, Config. B).  I loved all the light in the bathroom, the layout was ideal, and I loved the size of our room and balcony.  HOWEVER.  The window washing platform sits just off the balcony and it will obstruct your view for certain things.  It certainly did not ruin our vacay but I was quite frustrated when we were in Glacier Bay looking at Marjorie Glacier.  We eventually got a good angle to take photos but this ugly device blocked a lot of shots.  From what I can tell, the other H6 on 14 has the same issue. 

We are doing the Miami to LA Panama Cruise on the Joy this November.  We’ve been watching documentaries and Nat’l Geo programs on the construction of the original canal as well as the new locks.  Fascinating!  And it makes us super excited for this trip!

Enjoy your cruise!

@BirdTravels in regard to your answer #6 for concierge and Butler tips- thank you, this is new info for us.  Are there guidelines for what we should budget for? We are doing a 7 day in May and a 16 day in November, both haven. 

15 minutes ago, Allstater said:

Need help deciding between Bliss or Joy to sail Alaska inside passage round trip this summer 2019.  Bliss has better itinerary, going through Glacier Bay.  Joy is about $1000 cheaper for family of 7 (not each) and has reduced airfare that Bliss doesn’t.  Recommendations?

We struggled with the same decision.  We wanted to be on the Joy but eventually decided on the Bliss because of the itinerary.  Now I'm super glad we chose Bliss since it doesn't look like the Joy has the Thermal Spa Pass - a must have, IMO, for a cold cruise!  

Cruising Glacier Bay was important for us so we went with the Bliss.  The good news is, you can't go wrong on either ship - it will be a great cruise regardless! Good luck!

OP: have you seen this review? I just read through it and it looks amazing. Great photos and should give you an idea of what to expect.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2677591

I have not done this cruise yet but we are planning on summer of 2020. We've seen some negative reviews of the ship as well (older, not as much to do, etc.). However, we're booking it anyway because of the stuff we'll get to do on the islands. This is one cruise where I think the ports are the highlight vs. the ship. We've only ever been to Oahu so we're excited to see other islands.

For excursions, I highly recommend a catamaran trip. (Snorkeling or just sight seeing- we've done both) Most offer drinks and lunch and we have always seen dolphins and turtles. To be clear, this was just on a regular trip to Hawaii, not a cruise, but the catamaran tours are all very similar. We are heading back in December and will do some hiking. Happy to report back on that as well!!

Good luck with your decision...I don't think you can go wrong with a Hawaii trip, it's so beautiful, even if the ship is a bit lacking.

I live in Seattle and it has been chilly the past couple of days. I've been in jeans and a sweatshirt all day today. However, the sun came out a few hours ago and now it's 64 degrees. That is warm enough for shorts here in the PNW but other parts of the country find that a bit cold. As others have said, pack 'em but you may not wear 'em. This is my favorite time of year here...sweatshirt weather!!!