rockfsh

The Ballad of Soapy Smith from the Days of '98 pre-show. Tickets $25 each Get there at least 15 before show time. Play is a little bawdy but not offensive.

Bliss May 2019

Captain Staffan Bengtsson
First Officer Daniel Farace
Chief Engineer Ivan Vladislovic
General Manager (Hotel Director) Jovo Sekulovic
Cruise Director Silas Cook
Assistant GM Jocel Guzman
Food & Beverage Director Charles Fernandes
Restaurant Manager Elena Cornea
Executive Chef Francis Gomes
Executive Housekeeper Ferdinand Fandialan

There is a self service laundry aboard but it is DIY. Hint. After washing, roll the clothes in a towel and give them a once over with the hair dryer before hanging.  Dry by the next morning. There is a $19.95 full bag special on Wednesday.

One night in the DOS is more expensive than our 4 month college budget. We were Golden (Bears) then and are golden still.
The DOS picture gallery is here:

https://postimg.cc/gallery/1wlbaq47u/

I use

https://postimages.org

to host my images.

My previous live TR is here:

We are cruising on the Bliss  in a 2 BR Haven Suite on October 13 , 2019 and again in the DOS next year October 12th.
I'll do live trip reports then.
Thanks for  following and all the comments here. Makes it worth while to do these trip reports.

Any further questions?

7 hours ago, trimom30 said:

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!

We enjoyed  meeting you and Rachelle many times. Hope to meet both of you on a future cruise.

Just got off the Bliss. I'm following so I can continue to enjoy this cruise.

We've brought sunshine back to Seattle completing the great weather cruise.

and now, without comment, food pictures

Glacier Blue, only served @ The Local. I suggested adding blue ice cubes  with streaks of dirt.

I'll finish this when we get home.

On 5/25/2019 at 6:04 PM, ceilidh1 said:

Would you happen to have a picture of the menu offerings in the Haven restaurant? I know it's been posted on here somewhere but search isn't cooperating for me!

I did not take any menu pics, Sorry

I know we are approaching Victoria when I spot a sail boat off the starboard bow. Of course using the TV Sea Map is easier. 

In Victoria we decided to take a long walk to the short pier gift shop and return.
We used this sign to guide our way back .

Random Victoria pics include "Princess and the Sea" and "duck duck goose".

We voyage the short distance to Seattle bobbing like a cork on the calm sea.

We are soon off the ship.

My next post will be a (food) porn one. 

2 hours ago, phissy said:

So sorry, I misread. Thought you were onboard.

glad to hear leak was in hotel and not ship.

enjoy DOS!   We have enjoyed our cruises in the Haven and DOS.

 

Thanks for such a great Travel Log.  You were really able to capture the spirit of Alaska Cruise. We will be on Bliss again September.   Go Bears!

There was a false fire alarm on board @3:30 AM. Scary. Capt quickly announced no fire.

Who's2nd (Not who's on 2nd)

Assistant GM Jocel Guzman
Food & Beverage Director Charles Fernandes
Restaurant Manager Elena Cornea
Executive Chef Francis Gomes
Executive Housekeeper Ferdinand Fandialan

Who's on Board (Not Who's on First)

Captain Staffan Bengtsson
First Officer Daniel Farace
Chief Engineer Ivan Vladislovic
General Manager (Hotel Director) Jovo Sekulovic
Cruise Director Silas Cook

Random Observations

I wonder if mental age counts?

We spotted this beaver dam but no dam beavers.

This is NOT a Duck Tour.

Neither is this.

Go bears.

Not these.

Our suite on the ship model in the Observation Lounge is not completely accurate in that there is no sign of my tripod.

This can happen when men outnumber women 100 to 1.

I saw some pedestrians run in front of this train because they didn't want to wait a few minutes or their lives are not exciting enough.

This towel animal is acting ashamed.

It's mating season seals. Get to it.

Noreen draws a straight flush in VP. Meanwhile I tripled up at a live table.

If we run into these,  maybe I''ll play "King of the World".

Thanks all for following along.

1 hour ago, AtlantaAlly said:

Question regarding getting back on the ship in ports: were there lines, and as a haven guest, were you able to navigate to a haven entrance? If yes, where were they/how were they marked?

No separate entrance for Haven guests

We were moved @ the hotel not on the ship

Ketchikan calls itself 1st City just because it's the 1st city in Alaska coming
from the South. It's another beautiful day in SE Alaska.

It also is a short stay here. We walk up the Creek Street, a former red light district.

The infamous Dolly's House now charges $10 for a tour. Back in the day you could get  a quickie for the same price.

These two are tour guides. Working ladies of a different sort.

This sign is misspelled.

I did not know Santa spends his Spring in Ketchican.

Can you spot the eagle?

Just another Dam HAL ship.

Our ship.

Tomorrow Victoria, named after the former Empress of India.

Glacier Bay, where the snows of ten thousand yester-years make their way finally to the sea.
Above me a lady on the Haven sun deck exclaimed, "Paraiso!" as we reached Margerie Glacier. Paradise indeed although we are used to a warmer variety of paradise.

 Several guests were invited to view from the bow of the ship. I waved, some waved back.

Next we visited John Hopkins Glacier (yes THAT John Hopkins). We could not get close due to harbor seal breeding.

On the way out I spotted a group of kayakers. Don't know where they came from.

Heading out of the Bay, we passed a Princess ship. Princess is facing federal charges for dumping waste in Glacier Bay. (Everyone Boo!)

On the way to Ketchikan we followed  a HAL vessel. (Not that NCL follows HAL in any category except price.)

12 hours ago, UWCorry said:

Random question but were any of the pools or water slides open? We are on the Bliss in 9 days and I want to at least try that slide!

All are open with warm water

Skagway has a population of a little over a thousand. Even with all the cruise season help, a single cruise ship is enough to overwhelm the small town.
Yesterday there were 4 ships in port and both the Joy and Bliss were among them, parked end to end at the Railroad dock. Bliss was in front so the Joy cruisers had to walk further.
The steep hill adjacent to the Railroad dock is subject to landslides. The dock is hopefully protected by fencing, a barrier wall and a tunnel of containers. Someone spray painted "Trump" on the barrier wall. Since politics here is frowned upon, I'll (try too) refrain from making further comments about this.

There is a Smart Bus shuttle that runs (all day) from the pier through the town  with pickup every few minutes. Fare is $2 a hop or $5 all day. It's well worth it.

We attended the "Days of '98" show @ Broadway and 6th. It has played every cruise season since 1923 making it the longest running musical on this or any other Broadway. I give it 5*s. It is based on the true story of the life and (spoiler) death of grifter Jefferson (Soapy) Smith, a charlatan the likes of(insert your own &*)#@). After the show, I asked the girls, "How much for an all-nighter?" Since the Bliss was to depart @ 11 PM, this was not a realistic proposal.

After the show we ate lunch at the new location of the Skagway Brewing Company. Great food but it took 45 minutes after ordering to get it. Food and beer 5*, service 1*.

The delay in posting is due to no internet @ Glacier Bay.

On 5/21/2019 at 12:56 PM, Lupush said:

Love the Haven on the Bliss!  Is Amir still tending Bar?  If so tell him Lee from Florida says hi!

Amir is on the Joy

56 minutes ago, ZsaZsa2019 said:

Looks like a nice weather day.  We are doing Bliss in June and struggling with what to pack.  Loving your trip reports, and watching to see what everyone is wearing.  🙂

Great in Skagway today. In Seattle  I gave the UBER driver a big tip and asked him to insure great weather on the trip. He agreed to try.

3 hours ago, shawnanewtocruise said:

Interested in activities offered in the Teen Club.  Do they have a daily schedule posted?  Thanks!  Our son will turn 13 while we are cruising.

They do post a schedule but when I went down to check,  I found this

Juneau, the Capitol.

We arrived in Juneau over an hour early but the Joy was parked in OUR slot. OH JOY!

When we finally docked they first boarded the passengers that missed Seattle.
To get ashore we were allowed to use this elevator which some feel is appropriate for Haven guests.

We took a pre-booked taxi from Glacier Taxi. I highly recommend using this company. We took it to Mendenhall Glacier and were dropped off just a 5 minute walk away. Fare $38. The Glacier buses now charge $44 PP.
Our  driver Tom is an Alaska native in that his ancestors were here over 10,000 years ago. If you use him, tell him Ken says "Hi". He took us to see the Governor's Manson as a drive  by  with no extra cost.

The Nugget falls trail is an easy walk of about a mile. It is designated a Bear Trail with no food allowed (you will be the  food.)

I saw no bears except some fellow Berkeley alums who shouted "Go Bears!". "Not today", I replied.

The falls are well worth the hike. Cold refreshing spray from the falls cools you off after the hike in. We met fellow M&Gs Shay and Racelle again.

We were saddened to see the glacier had receded since we were last here 5 years ago.

You can barely see my tripod on the balcony in this shot

Back on the ship we had dinner at Los Lobos. The table side guacamole muy bien.

On to Skagway

 Hasta luego.
 

18 hours ago, alnbrumom said:

When you get the Port Valet form for Seattle Airport, can you post a picture of it?

16 hours ago, fearchix said:

Can you post the daily itinerary? We go next week on the same cruise and would like a sneak peak at what’s happening onboard!!

see:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2658809-2019-ncl-bliss-alaska-feedback-tips-dailies/?tab=comments#comment-57365918

2 hours ago, Greenpea2 said:

Thank you rockfish! So at one end is the bathroom (shower) and at the other end is just a wall, with open space on the other side, correct? The online floorpans just don't make that clear at all. It looks like on the other end is an open space. I like that this balcony is big enough to be useable too!

 

On one end is the shower window. At the other end is  door to the master bedroom.

This balcony is  sheltered and usable.