Back from Not So "Bliss"ful Cruise to Alaska....

[Twocoasts]

2 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

This is too bad as iwas planning a trip on the bliss to mexico. Just curious to people find the small ships less busy then these big ships%?

We were on Sky over Thanksgiving and it was busy but nothing like the Bliss. Definitely more pleasant for us to stay with smaller ships from now on. Especially because we don't care about things like go-karts or laser tag. 

[smillerholmes]

19 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

This is too bad as iwas planning a trip on the bliss to mexico. Just curious to people find the small ships less busy then these big ships%?

I sailed on the Bliss to Mexico, Feb/2022.  I prefer the Jewel class ships, but the Bliss is beautiful.  My only complaint was booking during Spring Break.  It was post Covid and cabin fever had kicked in -  I thought how bad can it be? - lesson learned.

[Panhandle Couple]

29 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

This is too bad as iwas planning a trip on the bliss to mexico. Just curious to people find the small ships less busy then these big ships%?

All depends.

Oct or Feb to Mexico probably 95% full, with few children. 

March 10-30 probably 102% full, with lots of kids.

 

All cruise lines are running 95 to over 100 percent these days.  That's were the market is at now.

[DominicAUS]

On 8/29/2023 at 9:49 AM, BirdTravels said:

The last time we sailed from San Pedro,,, which was a while ago,,, there was a platinum waiting area (it was combined with the Haven/Suites). Don't know what they are doing now. 

 

 

As I said, we will be sailing out of the Bell Street terminal in a couple of weeks on the Encore and we'll see if things have improved since last we were there. 

I sailed on the Bliss March this year (spring break) expected the terminal to be a zoo, after reading reviews on here. Got to the terminal at just before 11am. Security moved fast and check for platinum was quick. No waiting area that we saw but they did separate the check in by decks, plus then priority etc. 

boarding was quick with Haven/Casino/priority, got onboard by 1130 and drink in hand at the observation lounge. 
 

doing the bliss agin in Jan to Mexico and B2B to Panama. Will report back 

[ChiefMateJRK]

13 hours ago, DominicAUS said:

they did separate the check in by decks

Are you talking about two groups due to two gangways, or did they actually board by deck?  That would be a first.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Are you talking about two groups due to two gangways, or did they actually board by deck?  That would be a first.

The person you quoted said 'check in', not boarding.  What I've experienced related to that is that there were two sets of check-in counters, depending on what deck you were on.  Boarding was done by group number still.

[DominicAUS]

8 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Are you talking about two groups due to two gangways, or did they actually board by deck?  That would be a first.

It was just check in. They had the 2 boarding bridges. Mid ship and front of the ship. Felt it was a smooth process, they call multiple boarding groups one after the other but didn’t take long to get on. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

9 hours ago, hallux said:

The person you quoted said 'check in', not boarding.  What I've experienced related to that is that there were two sets of check-in counters, depending on what deck you were on.  Boarding was done by group number still.

I know.  As an example, at MCT they used two gangways, so the check ins were divided into two groups (each a number of decks).  The quote I posted (which you referred to) stated that:

 

11 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

On 9/3/2023 at 8:00 PM, DominicAUS said:

they did separate the check in by decks

 

I think that has now been clarified as two groupings of decks.

[PATRLR]

On 8/31/2023 at 11:46 AM, latebuyer said:

This is too bad as iwas planning a trip on the bliss to mexico. Just curious to people find the small ships less busy then these big ships%?

Have you been on other large ships?  Did you enjoy them?  If so, Bliss will be fine.  I believe OP (like many others) just isn't a fan of larger ships.  

If this Mexico trip you are planning is the first on a big ship, I think you should just try it with an open mind.  Worst case, at the end you decide you won't do a big ship again.

We don't mind the large ships and the inherent crowds.  We find the Away and Away+ class ships like Bliss to be some of the better-designed large ships.  

Edited September 5, 2023 by PATRLR

[latebuyer]

Thanks, good idea to have an open mind. I’d be going in march, i presume at a busy time. I am in a studio cabin so perhaps the benefit outways the drawback.

[nimbex1970]

I understand the ship size preference completely.  We sailed Wonder of the Seas (RCL) for the grandkids in May. Very loud, very crowded, not relaxing, long lines.  Although through research, I knew I wouldn't be relaxing on that vacay, the noise just made it worse. We are sailing the Sky next in Nov.  yearning for that small ship experience.  Happy sails and ty for the review!

[TPgal]

On 8/29/2023 at 3:51 PM, depplep said:

Some people have no shame. I gotta know, was she wearing shoes?

Nope.  No socks either.   

[depplep]

15 minutes ago, TPgal said:

Nope.  No socks either.   

Guess I really didn't need to know.🤮

[tw0sugar5]

My group checked in after 11:30 (we spent the morning inside Amazon Spheres) and it wasn’t too bad.  We had early boarding but decided against check in, sit, and wait.  Disembarkation was ick though.

Edited September 27, 2023 by tw0sugar5