Eurodam or Bliss?

Hey there, we are booked on NCL Bliss for Alaska with our daughter who will be 8 when we cruise.

We have sailed on several larger ships and some have been great but some have been way too crowded. I'm seeing reviews come in from the Bliss that there are lines at every turn so I started looking for other itineraries and found the Eurodam.

I like the idea of Sitka vs Skagway but could honestly go either way. Can any families weigh in on the kids club or evening activities on HAL? Any other points for consideration would be great. The NCL cruise is $800 more total but includes the drink package (I am not a drinker though) so it's really a wash there.

Thanks in advance

Eurodam never feels crowded and HAL has a very well regarded children's program. I personally would avoid NCL like the plague having shared ports with NCL ships, but others like the onboard NCL experience. To me this is a no-brainer, if you save money and like the itinerary. I think you will love the Eurodam. Keep in mind HAL does attract older passengers who tend to be more quiet and low key and there may not be as many children onboard compared to NCL. But the numbers of younger families increase in the summer and on the shorter cruises.

I think I can speak to this. HAL is not known for their kids club or evening activities.

In 2017, we sailed on a massive ship - NCL Escape, and while my 11 and 13 year old had a fantastic time, I waited in lines, made reservations for everything and suffered from decision fatigue.

Conversely, our December ‘17 Cruise on the Rotterdam was a pleasure for the adults with its lack of crowds, excellent MDR dining and limited choices of venues in which to relax. However, my daughter was bored and my son was not impressed by Club HAL. The club hours were limited and the staff was unenthusiastic.

Just my opinion. Hope it helps.

I think I can speak to this. HAL is not known for their kids club or evening activities.

 

In 2017, we sailed on a massive ship - NCL Escape, and while my 11 and 13 year old had a fantastic time, I waited in lines, made reservations for everything and suffered from decision fatigue.

 

Conversely, our December ‘17 Cruise on the Rotterdam was a pleasure for the adults with its lack of crowds, excellent MDR dining and limited choices of venues in which to relax. However, my daughter was bored and my son was not impressed by Club HAL. The club hours were limited and the staff was unenthusiastic.

 

Just my opinion. Hope it helps.

It doesn't help - ha ha!!! Basically I have to choose between my sanity or my child's happiness (which affects my sanity).

We sailed on the Oasis of the Seas and while it was crowded, the size of the ship dispersed everyone enough but we had to make reservations for everything and were never able to see a comedy show because they were always booked. Then we sailed on the Breeze - tons of passengers with nowhere to go. I do like Carnival for the family but the ship just wasn't big enough with enough resources for that type of crowd. There were lines everywhere and it just wasn't enjoyable for us or the kids.

I feel like I'm seeing the same thing with Bliss. I really want to sail the new ship and I did enjoy the Freestyle cruising when we did it BUT now you have to make reservations for everything because of the number of passengers. I have read multiple reviews of people not being able to get a go-cart reservation and/or waiting in line 2 hours for their reservation. Of course, I'm not interested in go-carts but it seems like it would bleed to other areas of the ship.

We have been on multiple NCL cruises but chose HAL for our last Alaska cruise. Our DS was 10 at the time and loved the HAL kids club. The clubs were smaller but had great counselors. We found that in Alaska, on HAL there were a lot of multi-generation groups so there were always kids around . We liked HAL enough to be going again with our now 13 DS to Norway this summer.

I will say, we love all types of music so HAL worked for us. And we don’t go clubbing at night so the differences to NCL there didn’t bother us. We laugher, thought, the one day NCL pulled up next to us in port, they were playing loud Caribbean party music and our HAL ship was playing Frank. Kinda showed the differences in atmosphere.

We moved from NCL because the food had gotten so inconsistent and they were killing me with all their fees (can’t even bring water on ship). So we aren’t willing to do NCL right now.

We’ve been on four Hal cruises with our children. We did our first one when the kids were 10 and 6 to Alaska. We loved it and the kids loved the kids club. They brought on a naturalist just for the kids while in glacier bay.

We then did three Caribbean cruises, our last the past Christmas. While we had a good time on the cruise, we had noticed things that had changed.

The kids still loved the kids club, but there were things that were no longer there that we liked. No music by the pool, including the steel drums that we liked. While we are not the clubbing type, there was definitely fewer things to do the evening. Several nights we found ourselves sitting on the balcony at 8:30 or 9 because there was nothing to do.

While we have loved our Hal cruises, we are changing it up this Christmas. We are going on royal on navigator of the seas on a 9 night cruise. We can’t wait.

We took our 7 yr. old great grand daughter on a three week New Years cruise on the Eurodam & she loved Club HAL She would not let me pick her up until the club closed every night. The counselors were friendly & there should be kids her age at that time of year. Enjoy.

I've been on sister ships of both. Yes, Bliss will be crowded. Her sister, Escape, was the most crowded ship I have ever sailed....by far. I always referred to the public areas as "chaos." NCL does not handle crowds nearly as well as RCI's Oasis Class.

On the other hand, your 8 year old will be much happier on Bliss. Plus, the panoramic lounge on Bliss appears to be a lot nicer than HAL's Crows Nest.

Good luck with your choice....and don't think I didn't notice the irony of your name and this cruise choice being partially considered for your 8 year old daughter. ;)

Good luck with your choice....and don't think I didn't notice the irony of your name and this cruise choice being partially considered for your 8 year old daughter. ;)

I KNOW!! I've been trying to come up with a new name but all the cool stuff is taken. :D

Ok, here's something else to consider: The Bliss holds something like 4,000 passengers and 2,000 crew, perhaps more if all berths are filled. The total year-round population of Skagway is a little over 1,000 (the population goes up temporarily in the summer to accommodate the cruise ships). The population of Ketchikan is around 14,000, and Juneau's is about 32,000. So when your enormous cruise ship comes into the Alaska ports, it is adding substantially to the population of the city it is visiting, in the case of Skagway actually overwhelming it. That means congestion in the streets, competition for the best excursions, and massive lines getting on and off the ship.

For Alaska, I would pick a smaller ship, and I would try to avoid the ports mentioned above while the Bliss was in town. Just my opinion:)

I was going to say the same thing - check on Cruise Timetables what other ships are in port the days you are in port, just to see the numbers!

We loved Sitka - if/when we do an Alaska cruise again, I would hope to include it. Of course the train in Skagway is fun, too.

I don't know much about the kids' clubs, but with the port days, your daughter may not be spending much time there anyway.

We went on the Bliss June 9-16th and personally it was the best vacation we've ever been on. We've done Carnival, Celebrity, Princess and Royal Caribbean and my in-laws who were with us have also done Holland many times and they agree, best ship ever. It was amazing. We NEVER had to wait for drinks, never felt crowded in the restaurants and felt comfortable the whole time. Yes, you have to pre-plan things and when you get onboard quickly book Prohibition the musical (it sells out fast) and go-carts if you want to do it but that isn't a big deal. Also pre-book speciality dining. Those are the only real big things. We had a blast. We had our 3 year old with us and the kids club was AMAZING! Theme nights every night, full decorations, activities and they put on a circus with all the kids. Never saw a kid who didn't look happy! We've been home a few days and our daughter keeps asking to go back to kids club and her "high bed". The night time activities were great for adults, lots of game shows, good people, fun theater shows, comedy shows and just a good time. The club always went till 2AM and a group of us would then end up at the pub and just having a blast around the ship. Stick with the bliss, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

We went on the Bliss June 9-16th and personally it was the best vacation we've ever been on. We've done Carnival, Celebrity, Princess and Royal Caribbean and my in-laws who were with us have also done Holland many times and they agree, best ship ever. It was amazing. We NEVER had to wait for drinks, never felt crowded in the restaurants and felt comfortable the whole time. Yes, you have to pre-plan things and when you get onboard quickly book Prohibition the musical (it sells out fast) and go-carts if you want to do it but that isn't a big deal. Also pre-book speciality dining. Those are the only real big things. We had a blast. We had our 3 year old with us and the kids club was AMAZING! Theme nights every night, full decorations, activities and they put on a circus with all the kids. Never saw a kid who didn't look happy! We've been home a few days and our daughter keeps asking to go back to kids club and her "high bed". The night time activities were great for adults, lots of game shows, good people, fun theater shows, comedy shows and just a good time. The club always went till 2AM and a group of us would then end up at the pub and just having a blast around the ship. Stick with the bliss, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Sounds great; but why bother to go all the way to Alaska, a beautiful and exceptional destination, if it's just the ship that matters? Might as well wait for a Caribbean itinerary.

Sounds great; but why bother to go all the way to Alaska, a beautiful and exceptional destination, if it's just the ship that matters? Might as well wait for a Caribbean itinerary.

3rd time to Alaska, each time has gotten better on different ships. She asked SPECIFICALLY about the SHIP. I answered about the ship. Yes, Alaska is amazing but it’s also extra amazing to watch the glaciers on a killer ship. And yes, we explore Alaska to the fullest each and every time and have never stayed on the ships in port.

We went on the Bliss June 9-16th and personally it was the best vacation we've ever been on. We've done Carnival, Celebrity, Princess and Royal Caribbean and my in-laws who were with us have also done Holland many times and they agree, best ship ever. It was amazing. We NEVER had to wait for drinks, never felt crowded in the restaurants and felt comfortable the whole time. Yes, you have to pre-plan things and when you get onboard quickly book Prohibition the musical (it sells out fast) and go-carts if you want to do it but that isn't a big deal. Also pre-book speciality dining. Those are the only real big things. We had a blast. We had our 3 year old with us and the kids club was AMAZING! Theme nights every night, full decorations, activities and they put on a circus with all the kids. Never saw a kid who didn't look happy! We've been home a few days and our daughter keeps asking to go back to kids club and her "high bed". The night time activities were great for adults, lots of game shows, good people, fun theater shows, comedy shows and just a good time. The club always went till 2AM and a group of us would then end up at the pub and just having a blast around the ship. Stick with the bliss, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Welcome to the Holland America board. As a first time CC poster, how on earth did you find us?

Welcome to the Holland America board. As a first time CC poster, how on earth did you find us?

Actually I’ve lurked forever on Norwegians. But was searching bliss in case anyone had questions since we just got back and this one popped up! Since she specifically cared about the ship and kid activities I figured I would help her 😸

Actually I’ve lurked forever on Norwegians. But was searching bliss in case anyone had questions since we just got back and this one popped up! Since she specifically cared about the ship and kid activities I figured I would help her

Very interesting. I went to the NCL forum and did a search for Bliss and nothing came up about the Holland America forum. What CC search engine were you using? Lots of posts about the Bliss on NCL - you may want to think about posting your enthusiastic review there too instead of just lurking on the NCL website - that way you could more directly help those specifically looking for NCL ships.

Geezaloo:rolleyes:

We went on the Bliss June 9-16th and personally it was the best vacation we've ever been on. We've done Carnival, Celebrity, Princess and Royal Caribbean and my in-laws who were with us have also done Holland many times and they agree, best ship ever. It was amazing. We NEVER had to wait for drinks, never felt crowded in the restaurants and felt comfortable the whole time. Yes, you have to pre-plan things and when you get onboard quickly book Prohibition the musical (it sells out fast) and go-carts if you want to do it but that isn't a big deal. Also pre-book speciality dining. Those are the only real big things. We had a blast. We had our 3 year old with us and the kids club was AMAZING! Theme nights every night, full decorations, activities and they put on a circus with all the kids. Never saw a kid who didn't look happy! We've been home a few days and our daughter keeps asking to go back to kids club and her "high bed". The night time activities were great for adults, lots of game shows, good people, fun theater shows, comedy shows and just a good time. The club always went till 2AM and a group of us would then end up at the pub and just having a blast around the ship. Stick with the bliss, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Very interesting. I went to the NCL forum and did a search for Bliss and nothing came up about the Holland America forum. What CC search engine were you using? Lots of posts about the Bliss on NCL - you may want to think about posting your enthusiastic review there too instead of just lurking on the NCL website - that way you could more directly help those specifically looking for NCL ships.

By all means, let's use the HAL forum to spread "the buzz" about NCL' brand new ship Bliss:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

NORWEGIAN BLISS

Line: Norwegian Cruise Line

Maiden voyage: April 23

Home ports: Seattle, Miami

Size (in tons): 167,800

Passengers: 4,000

The buzz: Fast-growing Norwegian Cruise Line is creating yet another major mega-resort at sea — its fifth in six years. A sister to the recently unveiled Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Escape, Bliss will rank among the 10 largest ships in the world and feature such over-the-top amusements as a two-deck-high racing course where passengers compete against each other in electric go-carts — a first for a vessel based in North America.

Like Joy and Escape, Bliss also will have sprawling water park with multi-story water slides; a restaurant-lined boardwalk; Tony Award-winning production shows including Jersey Boys and a giant spa. Dining options will include a modern Texas barbecue eatery called Q that will feature live pop country music — a new concept for the line. Bliss also will have an upscale, modern Mexican restaurant called Los Lobos — a concept that first debuted in 2016 on Norwegian Dawn. Bliss also will be the first Norwegian ship with a full-service Starbucks store on board.

In addition to the new venues, Bliss will feature many of the signature eateries and bars that are staples of the Norwegian fleet, including a Cagney's steakhouse, French restaurant Le Bistro and Italian restaurant La Cucina. There also will be versions of familiar Norwegian food venues Ocean Blue, Food Republic and Teppanyaki as well as the Norwegian craft beer outlet District Brew House.

As with past Norwegian ships, Bliss also will feature the line's signature "ship-within-a-ship" luxury suite area, The Haven, which has its own private pool, restaurant, butler service and concierge.

All that said, it isn't just Bliss' on-board attractions that are drawing buzz. Just as noteworthy is where the ship will be sailing at least part of the year: Alaska. Operating out of Seattle starting in May, Bliss will become the largest vessel ever to cruise to the 49th State.

Eurodam never feels crowded...

I have to disagree. The ships can feel crowded depending on how full the ships are. If each cabin is occupied by only one or two passengers each, the ships will not full full or crowded. But if there is closer to one person per available bed in each cabin, the ship will feel full, there will be lines everywhere, and it will be hard to find places to sit in the Lido or in bars and lounges. And loungers by the pool will be near impossible to find, especially if you want two or more close together.

Unfortunately, the passenger capacity on the ship is not something you will know until you are already on the ship ready to sail.

All that said, it isn't just Bliss' on-board attractions that are drawing buzz. Just as noteworthy is where the ship will be sailing at least part of the year: Alaska. Operating out of Seattle starting in May, Bliss will become the largest vessel ever to cruise to the 49th State.

There was nothing about that ship itself that could ever interest me. The size, features, and atmosphere are so far removed from what I could ever care for in a ship, that you couldn't pay me enough to sail her.

However, these last few sentences do concern me greatly. I would hate to have to share a port with the crowds that ship will disgorge when I take my next Alaska cruise.

Think how overwhelmed Ketchikan would be!

The Caribbean islands won't have any more infrastructure to handle that number of people---not when you consider there are other ships in port as well.

I think you should avoid the Bliss. I just sailed another HAL ship to Alaska from Seward to Vancouver and there were plenty of kids onboard (people of all ages as a matter of fact). HAL is a more laid back, refined experience but I think HAL knocks the ball out of the park when it comes to Alaska. Alaska is their specialty and there are plenty of families and multi gen groups on HAL ships during the summer especially Alaska. No, it won’t be like NCL with kids everywhere (I have sailed on the Escape) but I think you may enjoy that and your kids will have more attention at club HAL. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the Eurodam itinerary is better as well, you visit Sitka instead of Skagway (major tourist trap) and you visit glacier bay instead of Tracy’s arm which is much better

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the Eurodam itinerary is better as well, you visit Sitka instead of Skagway (major tourist trap) and you visit glacier bay instead of Tracy’s arm which is much better

Both ships visit Glacier Bay on this particular itinerary (2019). HAL visits Sitka and NCL goes to Skagway.

You all have given me a lot to think about and the decision isn't any easier. I would jump for HAL but my hubby is worried about evening entertainment. He likes to see comedians and shows. I could find very few of the When & Where for HAL and the ones I did locate did not show any comedians in the evening and very limited shows. What is there for an adult night owl to do on HAL?

Both ships visit Glacier Bay on this particular itinerary (2019). HAL visits Sitka and NCL goes to Skagway.

 

You all have given me a lot to think about and the decision isn't any easier. I would jump for HAL but my hubby is worried about evening entertainment. He likes to see comedians and shows. I could find very few of the When & Where for HAL and the ones I did locate did not show any comedians in the evening and very limited shows. What is there for an adult night owl to do on HAL?

Piano Bar, Casino, BB Kings. BB Kings would typically shut down around Midnight or 1, with the piano bar and casino going until 2 ish.