The First Voyage of the Norwegian Bliss to Alaska

[Blissful Cruiser]

In Juneau

 

Sunrise this morning was 3:55 am.

Sunset this afternoon will be 9:54 pm.

 

 

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Ya know - right after I posted this I looked on the daily and if gives the times of sunrise/set. Sorry to ask ANOTHER question that I could have answered myself.

On a side-note are you enjoying the extra daylight?

[WanderlustJourney]

Today is Glacier Watching Day. So, we are in port until 1:30, then head out to the glaciers.

 

BUT,,,,, if you noticed in the Freestyle Daily, we are heading to Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier (vs Sawyer Glacier in the itinerary). The captain will also get ice reports from other ships that are doing morning visits to determine how close he will be able to get the ship to the Glacier. (Don’t want to be sucking ice into the brand new bow thrusters on the first trip). Last night the Captain said that he hoped to get within 1/2 of the glacier this afternoon.

 

 

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Noticed that on the daily... Did they give a reason for the swap? Sounds like other ships had to change to Endicott too...

[BirdTravels]

BirdTravels - Thank you so much for all of your photos and commentary. I’m especially enjoying the menu and food pics. Any chance you took a picture of the main dining menu from last night (day 3)?

Sorry. Didn’t make it down to snap a pic. Kinda ended up going from ShoreEx to sail away to latitudes party to show to dinner. NCL uses a set of 14 mdr menus that they rotate through.

[BirdTravels]

Noticed that on the daily... Did they give a reason for the swap? Sounds like other ships had to change to Endicott too...

Nope.

 

The last two times we sailed on this itinerary on the Jewel, we ended up at Dawes. For those cruises, they specifically said that there was too much ice to go to Sawyer. Kinda early in the season to have ice problems.

[Sohealthy]

Sorry. Didn’t make it down to snap a pic. Kinda ended up going from ShoreEx to sail away to latitudes party to show to dinner. NCL uses a set of 14 mdr menus that they rotate through.

 

Absolutely no worries. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

[BirdTravels]

Ya know - right after I posted this I looked on the daily and if gives the times of sunrise/set. Sorry to ask ANOTHER question that I could have answered myself. On a side-note are you enjoying the extra daylight?

We sail Alaska often and enjoy sitting outside nightly in the extra sunshine whale watching.

 

On a prior cruises, we were also treated to sailing through pods of thousands of dolphin. Magical.

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

 

BirdTravels ~ thanks so much for this amazingly detailed cruise report. I especially liked the Fact Sheet so printed it out for my Bliss cruise in Nov. The port pictures are bringing back memories of my 2 Alaska cruises.

Looking forward to the rest of the cruise.

 

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[erdoran]

I've signed up for the Tracy Arm excursion, assuming shipboard glacier watching won't be as good. How was it from the Bliss? Perhaps second-guessing myself, perhaps not.

[gbcruise]

And us too!

 

Us too! Gathering as much info as possible, great review.

[BirdTravels]

I've signed up for the Tracy Arm excursion, assuming shipboard glacier watching won't be as good. How was it from the Bliss? Perhaps second-guessing myself, perhaps not.

 

 

Will let you know this afternoon as we head toward the glaciers

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

Juneau, Alaska

 

Shortly after docking, the locals came by to check out the new ship

 

 

 

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

The Local serves a sit down breakfast

 

 

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[erdoran]

OMG I can't stand it - 88 days and counting....

[BirdTravels]

The Manhattan Room is smaller than the other -away class ships (probably because lifeboats are inboard on Deck 7, significantly reducing the interior of the ship.

 

Gone is the stage and dance floor

 

Gone is the large section of 10-tops for groups

 

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[BirdTravels]

Time for a massage and a day in the thermal suite.

 

 

The thermal suite (now located aft to make way for the observation lounge) is smaller than other -away class ship (bad). While the Escape made improvements to move the saunas to the outside with windows (which would have been ideal for Alaska) the saunas have moved back to the interior and are smaller.

 

 

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[Blissful Cruiser]

Hi!!! I'm going to ask a question from the first day, boarding - What deck did you board on? I thought I read somewhere you entered the ship from Seattle into the Casino? Is that correct? BTW - love the photos above of Juneau! I can't wait!!!

[MrsTabs]

HI fantastic review! Could I ask a favour and ask you to check out the smoking areas on the ship? ( I know there is a separate part of the casino) but one person reported the only other place was a small area on deck 17 - is there not an outside deck that is smoking all one side ( was deck 7 on Gem I think) if you find the time, this info would be much appreciated thank you

[AmyJA]

If the stage is gone....is there music at dinner time?

 

BTW, thanks for all your hard work. Pictures and info are great!

[BirdTravels]

 

 

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[Blissful Cruiser]

We sail Alaska often and enjoy sitting outside nightly in the extra sunshine whale watching.

 

On a prior cruises, we were also treated to sailing through pods of thousands of dolphin. Magical.

You are SO WONDERFUL to reply to every comment/question while on your vactation - I can not express my gratitude enough!!!

 

So you can actually see whales from your balcony, how about on this cruise, any yet? ;)

[BirdTravels]

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

HI fantastic review! Could I ask a favour and ask you to check out the smoking areas on the ship? ( I know there is a separate part of the casino) but one person reported the only other place was a small area on deck 17 - is there not an outside deck that is smoking all one side ( was deck 7 on Gem I think) if you find the time, this info would be much appreciated thank you

 

 

You can read the fine print at the bottom of page 4 in the Dailies. Here’s what the have in their Facts sheet

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

Hi!!! I'm going to ask a question from the first day, boarding - What deck did you board on? I thought I read somewhere you entered the ship from Seattle into the Casino? Is that correct? BTW - love the photos above of Juneau! I can't wait!!!

 

We entered through a crew door into the casino on Deck 7. Looked like there was another entrance.

 

 

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[Blissful Cruiser]

We entered through a crew door into the casino on Deck 7. Looked like there was another entrance.

 

 

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Thank you for the quick reply!!!!:)

[gbcruise]

We sail Alaska often and enjoy sitting outside nightly in the extra sunshine whale watching.

 

On a prior cruises, we were also treated to sailing through pods of thousands of dolphin. Magical.

 

 

For those of us sailing at the first part of September will we also have chances to see pods of whales while sailing or will it be to late in the season?