Alaska on NCL Bliss ?

[Calicoskies1234]

I’m planning a group cruise to Alaska. I have decided on the Bliss in July 2024. I like the Bliss for the Beatles Cavern experience, as well that she’s being refurbed 2023 and hopefully feel like new in 2024. There are 3 itineraries and I’m hoping someone can give me guidance on which to choose. We will be a group of 10-20 mostly 50+. None of us have been to Alaska and this is a dream trip for all of us. I recently completed my first cruise on the Breakaway (trip report in the works) and I still feel like a newbie. We want to do excursions of course but a few in the group have some mobility issues and won’t be able to do strenuous hikes and such. I’m looking for the best itinerary for natural beauty and great ports that will have a blend of excursions for all levels of fitness. I know that my husband and I will be booking a large balcony room, we want upper floor, I think more bow than aft, but we don’t know which side: port or starboard. I did search the forum but it pulls up all kinds of threads not necessarily helpful for my research. I appreciate any and all help, thanks! This forum has been an invaluable resource as well totally fun to read. 

 

Itinerary #1

Seattle

Juneau

Skagway

Ketchikan

Victoria BC

Seattle

 

Itinerary #2

Seattle

Sitka

Juneau

Icy Strait

Ketchikan Ward Cove

Victoria BC

 

Itineray #3

Seattle

Ketchikan Ward Cove

Juneau

Icy Strait

Victoria BC

Seattle

[Jordan61]

My husband had been to Alaska many times when he was in the Coast Guard, and he told me to pick starboard. We're not going until May so I can't say whether he's right or not! 🙃

 

We picked itinerary #2 but that was strictly so we can stop in Sitka and see family.

[www3traveler]

Having done a number of cruises to Alaska, I would pick Skagway and Juneau.  Both are beautiful.  Juneau as a tram that goes up Mount Roberts-- on a clear day you can see forever.  Skagway has the train that goes up the mountain to White Horse, Yukon Territory, Canada.

 

I would choose aft over forward especially if you are prone to being seasick.

 

Ideally, you want to be a close to the middle of the ship ( forward to aft and from the bottom to the top deck-- check deck plans carefully).  You also want to have cabins above and below your cabin selection.

 

Enjoy

 

If you can add a couple of days to spend in Seattle.

[Pirate114]

I did Itinerary #1many years ago and had a great time.  www3traveler mentioned the train out of Skagway, it was nice but some others recommended renting a car and driving yourself.  That way when you saw something you liked, you could stop.  My parents took the tram but my daughter and I did the zip-line.   Water falls were everywhere and the starboard side was the best.  On the way back, you will be looking at the ocean but we were so tired, we didn't care.

[catsarealiens]

For me it would be itinerary #1 because of the Skagway stop.  The train excursion is fantastic.

 

 

[Oakman58]

I wouldn't choose any of those because Glacier Bay National Park isn't listed.  For a first time to Alaska Glacier Bay is a must do in my opinion.

 

Having said that, I would choose the July 13 or July 27 cruise because it visits Dawes Glacier and the Endicott Arm.

[bonvoyagie]

I second the Glacier Bay for your first cruise so maybe a switch to the Encore is in order, either that or choose a date early in the season when the Bliss does Glacier Bay. As far as ports go, I vote for Skagway ,Juneau ,and Ketchikan (Ward Cove).

[debenson0723]

Lots of excursion and other information on the Alaska Port of Call forum on this site,

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/33-alaska/

 

Choosing between Sitka and Skagway would be hard for me but as others have mentioned, you should try and do Glacier Bay for your first time. With the Bliss (and Encore) you have a wonderful Observation Lounge for great front views, plus the Waterfront to walk around and see everything (and the bars have hot chocolate and Baileys), As far as port or starboard, what you don't see in one direction you will see on the return....more important is to make sure you have cabins above and below.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

34 minutes ago, debenson0723 said:

As far as port or starboard, what you don't see in one direction you will see on the return....

Unless one is during the day and the other is at night.

[Ixtoras]

Probably #1 here.  I would agree with some of the others and say that the White Pass rail excursion in Skagway is very nice, and would be a pretty good trip for folks with mobility issues.   We did a similar itinerary on the Encore last May and had a wonderful time.

 

Skagway is also more often on itineraries that go to Glacier Bay.  We really enjoyed Glacier Bay, but hope to go back and see Endicott Arm, Dawes and Hubbard Glaciers on our next trip.

 

That said, I'm not seeing Itinerary #1 for the Bliss in 2024, though the site I use could be wrong. What week were you looking at? The Encore seems to have the majority of the Glacier Bay / Skagway itineraries, while the Bliss seems to be doing Sitka with Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier all season.  

 

Fortunately, the Bliss and Encore are pretty similar, with the main exception being that the Encore lost the Spice H2O area for a laser tag arena.  Shows on both are good. 

 

 

[Uff da]

We have been on the Bliss twice and did itinerary 2 on the Bliss this past May. We chose it because I wanted to go to the Raptor Center in Sitka and my husband wanted to go on the zip line in Icy Strait. Icy Strait is accessible and riding the trams there is pretty fun. Others want Skagway for the train and I get it, but you have to pick. You should figure out what everyone wants before you just book something. As far as the glacier, I found Dawes to be the least impressive part of the trip. I liked the ports much more. 
As others have mentioned, the place to be is Starboard. If you look at the Bliss, it has places on the sides that go in and pop out. You want to be on a pop out part or your visibility is not as good. Try to be midship if you can on deck 10 or 11, maybe 12, which are high but not too high and sandwiched between other cabin decks. If not midship, I would choose aft as the seas can get rough and forward is the worst for that. 
The Observation Lounge is very nice and even has a small buffet with a limited menu for breakfast and lunch, which is nice if you want to take in the views and also grab a little something to eat. It also has a full bar. 
 

[ChiefMateJRK]

Glacier Bay and the Skagway train (for those who haven't done it) are the clear winners.

[Uff da]

5 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Glacier Bay and the Skagway train (for those who haven't done it) are the clear winners.

It depends on who you are and what you want out of your cruise. Yes, a lot of people like that, but not everybody. 

[BirdTravels]

10 hours ago, Calicoskies1234 said:

I’m planning a group cruise to Alaska. I have decided on the Bliss in July 2024. I like the Bliss for the Beatles Cavern experience, as well that she’s being refurbed 2023 and hopefully feel like new in 2024. There are 3 itineraries and I’m hoping someone can give me guidance on which to choose. We will be a group of 10-20 mostly 50+. None of us have been to Alaska and this is a dream trip for all of us. I recently completed my first cruise on the Breakaway (trip report in the works) and I still feel like a newbie. We want to do excursions of course but a few in the group have some mobility issues and won’t be able to do strenuous hikes and such. I’m looking for the best itinerary for natural beauty and great ports that will have a blend of excursions for all levels of fitness. I know that my husband and I will be booking a large balcony room, we want upper floor, I think more bow than aft, but we don’t know which side: port or starboard. I did search the forum but it pulls up all kinds of threads not necessarily helpful for my research. I appreciate any and all help, thanks! This forum has been an invaluable resource as well totally fun to read. 

 

Itinerary #1

Seattle

Juneau

Skagway

Ketchikan

Victoria BC

Seattle

 

Itinerary #2

Seattle

Sitka

Juneau

Icy Strait

Ketchikan Ward Cove

Victoria BC

 

Itineray #3

Seattle

Ketchikan Ward Cove

Juneau

Icy Strait

Victoria BC

Seattle

We cruise Alaska every year.... so,,, here's my thoughts.

 

Recommendation: I would select the Encore over the Bliss because of itinerary. The Encore and Bliss are sister ships, the Encore being 2 years newer. We are planning to do the Encore to Alaska and Glacier Bay this year (last year we sailed on Royal Caribbean to Alaska ***gasp***)

 

The itinerary is 

Seattle

Sea Day

Juneau (afternoon)

Skagway

Glacier Bay

Ketchikan (morning)

Victoria (night)

Seattle

 

The Encore calls at the three main Alaskan ports (Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan) and also spend the day cruising Glacier Bay. Sitka and Icy Strait on the Bliss are kinda filler ports. 

 

Bliss or Bust: If you have decided that you have to be on the Bliss, then you will call at the Dawes Glacier. The absolute best shore excursion is the Glacier Explorer which will take you up close and personal with the Dawes Glacier while the Bliss hangs off in the distance. It is an expensive excursion. If you elect to stay on the ship, then get a room on the Port side for the glacier watching day. The side of the ship really doesn't matter on any other day. 

 

Our live post from the Encore in 2021

 

My live post from the Bliss in 2018

Edited February 15, 2023 by BirdTravels

[Calicoskies1234]

Thanks so much for all this info. I will reconsider the Encore. So many factors to research. 

[njkate]

I did #2 this past July on the Bliss. The ship is beautiful.

I’m looking to do Alaska again in late August or early September on the Jewel or Sun as I won’t have any kids with me, the Bliss has all the bells and whistles for kids.

 

Im choosing a smaller ship as the time in ports on the Bliss were very short. Make sure you look over itinerary for times in port.

The one port I don’t care if we stop is Icy Strait as there really isn’t anything there for the amount of time it’s in port, wish they had flipped the times and were in Juneau longer and Icy Strait shorter. Others may feel different 

[PATRLR]

8 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Bliss or Bust: If you have decided that you have to be on the Bliss, then you will call at the Dawes Glacier. The absolute best shore excursion is the Glacier Explorer which will take you up close and personal with the Dawes Glacier while the Bliss hangs off in the distance. It is an expensive excursion.

@Calicoskies1234 - I second everything @BirdTravels wrote.  ESPECIALLY the section quoted above.  The Glacier Explorer was worth every penny.  We consider it to the best excursion we've ever been on, for any cruise, anywhere.  I think it sells out, so, you'll want to be sure to book it as soon as you can.

Someone mentioned this, but, I also recommend spending time in the Alaska Forum here on CC to learn more about the various ports and excursions and activities in each.

 

[Glaciers]

The Encore itinerary is certainly the better one.  Since it’s a round trip the side of the ship is less important. One small consideration, if going to Glacier Bay, is that ships travel up the right side of the bay so the starboard rooms are much closer to shore. As you head up through the bay you will pass by Gloomy Knob off the starboard side. There are frequently mountain goats along the cliffs in the area and you’d have great views from a starboard cabin.  It’s actually a better idea just to stay on the top decks for the best views. Also, consider the logistics of the Ketchikan stop at Ward Cove. It’s a bit inconvenient as you can’t just walk off and head into town. It’s quite a ways from the downtown area and requires transportation.

[ChiefMateJRK]

11 hours ago, Uff da said:

It depends on who you are and what you want out of your cruise. Yes, a lot of people like that, but not everybody. 

The OP asked for opinions.  I provided one.  What is your point?

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, Calicoskies1234 said:

Thanks so much for all this info. I will reconsider the Encore. So many factors to research. 

Please note @Glaciers comment about Ketchikan. NCL uses their own purpose-built dock in Ketchikan which about 8 miles from town (20 minutes by shuttle).

 

IF you are not on a shore excursion and want to just go to town (which is pretty cool), you will need to take a complimentary shuttle (in the live post, they used to charge for it, but it now free). The lines for the shuttle are long,,, so consider trying to be early/the first off the ship. It is a short port call and you don't want to spend 1/2 of it in shuttle lines. 

[Uff da]

One other thing to consider is that Icy Strait has one of the best whale watching excursion companies (not a ship excursion.) If anyone in the group is interested in whale watching on smaller boats, it is better to do it here and not waste your time doing it in Juneau, which has so much more to offer. The you tube channel ParoDeeJay is in the process of posting a series of port guides for all the stops in Alaska. They have been to all of them numerous times. They are a great resource when researching ports. They have on more cruises and been more places than any other tuber I know of. 

[Calicoskies1234]

Thank you all for help! I will start researching on the Alaska forum too. We did switch to the Encore because of its itinerary. We chose an aft cabin deck 12 and booked today. I had cruise-next credits from last cruise and it’s a double-up so I used 2. 

[rj59]

#1 is best. Ward Cove is away from downtown Ketchikan, where all the other ships dock. Ice Strait Point is an artificial tourists village on a fairly isolated area with nothing much to do except go on a zipline or walk in the woods or a depressed fishing village called Hoonah (I do see lots of eagles there, though). Skagway is more memorable, with a great historical museum and period-look, although I also like Sitka, since it has a nice seaside walk in town and a park full of totem poles and a creek that should be full of salmon then. Side of the ship doesn't matter, since you'll be on the open sea going to and from Alaska and to me it's incredibly foolish to watch Alaska from a balcony, instead of the wonderful front observation lounge and the equally wonderful Oceanfront, where you're closer to wildlife and scenery and can easily go from side to side or sit and have drinks outside. If you want to see the Beatles in the Cavern and have a seat, get there an hour early, but the better option is to simply see them during MainStage shows.