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Norwegian Bliss Cruise Review on a Mexican Riviera Cruise

I didn’t have to be asked twice when I received an invite to sail on Norwegian Bliss’ first cruise out of the port of Los Angeles after the pandemic pause. Finally, I’d have time to do a complete Norwegian Bliss cruise review.

That’s because my only cruise aboard Norwegian Bliss was a transatlantic crossing when the ship first launched in 2018.

On my first cruise onboard Norwegian Bliss, I’d spent much of my time running around getting info for a super detailed review, interviewing the hotel director, and actually writing.

So, I hadn’t had much time to truly enjoy the ship. This time, I’d have more time to relax and take in all the ship had to offer. 

Norwegian Bliss Cruise Review

Fast facts .

Year built: 2018 Year refurbished: n/a Weight: 167,800 Decks: 20 Passengers at double occupancy: 4,004 Crew: 1,700 Total staterooms: 2,043

COVID-19 Protocols

Norwegian Cruise Line has some of the strictest COVID-19 protocols in the industry, but because of this, all NCL sailings are maskless.

For our sailing from a U.S. port, all passengers 12 years and older and crew had to be fully vaccinated (14 days past the final shot). Proof of vaccination was required. 

All guests over the age of 2 were required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test given by a verified third party or by a medically supervised home test within 48 hours of embarkation. Digital or printed proof of negative results are needed to board.

Onboard the ship, the crew wears masks, but guests don’t need to. We saw some folks opting for masks, especially as the cruise went on (and after the port stops), but most people enjoyed living without masks for a change. 

Welcome Aboard Norwegian Bliss

Embarkation at the port of Los Angeles is endless. My sailing was the first for this ship since the cruise pause, so things might speed up a bit over time.

But the layout at the port, combined with the line’s strict protocols, makes it almost impossible to speed up significantly. (This will change after January 16, 2022, when the cruise line does not administer its own pre-cruise COVID-19 tests.)

The line tries to control the crowds at the port by assigning a check-in time, but even so, the queue to show proof of vaccination and set up your on-site COVID-19 test is long. Once you get past this first part, waiting for the actual COVID test is less than a minute. Then it’s on to the waiting area.

I got my test results in about 10 minutes. If you’ve provided your cell number, you’ll receive a text message saying your test results are in (this means you passed the test).

If you’re not using a cell phone, you’ll need to watch for your “number” to be projected on the wall. This seemed to take longer as my number still hadn’t been shown by the time I’d had my text message checked and moved on to the next step… outside to wait for a shuttle van that goes to the terminal for check-in. 

That’s another 20-to-30-minute wait. There are separate lines for different loyalty levels and suite (The Haven) guests here.

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Our Mexican Riviera Itinerary

• Puerto Vallarta
• Cabo San Lucas

First Impressions

Norwegian Bliss is a beautiful ship. Unlike any of NCL’s older vessels, it has a sophisticated feel, all neutral grays, and muted blues. What stands out more than anything as you walk the ship for the first time is how much there is to do.

Bars and restaurants are everywhere. Plus, waterslides, Go-Kart racing, and laser tag. There’s a comedy club, Broadway shows (two of them!), and The Beatles cover band. There are multiple sun decks and pools.

There’s the Waterfront, where you can dine out or enjoy your favorite tipple in the fresh air with gorgeous sea views. 

The stunning Observation Deck has floor-to-ceiling windows, upholstered loungers, and tables for quiet card games with friends. In fact, the Observation Deck is one of the most popular spots on board. If you want one of those comfy loungers, you’ll have to get there early in the a.m. to claim it.

But there’s more to all those bars, restaurants, and activities than their appeal. A lot of the venues come a fee.

The restaurants? They’re almost all a la carte, which can add up quickly. But the food is oh so good. 

The Go-Kart and laser tag? There’s a per-turn fee for that too. Even some of the deck space (Vibe Beach Club) costs extra. 

The number of for-fee venues was initially overwhelming. I quickly learned you can have a great time on the ship without paying anything extra. (Well, maybe a meal or two in some specialty restaurants.)

The Broadway shows in the main theater are free and top-notch. The Beatles cover band is also free and a blast. The food in the MDRs is excellent. And, had I been up for it, the waterslides are also free! 

Norwegian Bliss Standard Balcony Stateroom

I didn’t spend much time in my standard balcony cabin (room 11110) on Norwegian Bliss – too much to do elsewhere! The room is somewhat smaller than you’ll find on most other cruise lines (as is the case with most of Norwegian’s standard) rooms, but it’s still comfortable for two people. 

Stateroom Hits and Misses

In my opinion, there are several design flaws. For one, there’s not a single drawer in the room. Call me crazy, but some things (like underwear and socks) just don’t fit as well on a shelf as they do in a drawer. 

Second, the closet is the worst located closet on any cruise ship I’ve ever been on. It’s built into the wall that separates the main room from the bathroom. You have to shimmy your way between one side of the bed and the closet to get to it. Totally inconvenient. 

The closets have plenty of hanging space; you can ask for extra hangars if you need them. The other side of the closet has several shelves, including one with the safe on it.

I was cruising solo, so I had plenty of room for my clothes. With my husband, it probably would have been a much tighter squeeze for all our clothing. 

READ NEXT:  PHOTO TOUR OF NORWEGIAN BLISS PUBLIC SPACES

Here’s What I Loved About the Room

The shelf space in the bathroom: two extended, narrow faux wooden shelves, a long counter, and four suspended glasses, which I used for my toothbrush and toothpaste. Oh, and the shower has a glass door. So much better than those clingy plastic curtains! 

Hooks! So, few cruise lines put hooks by the door to hang things like jackets, sweaters, or baseball caps. In fact, I almost always bring magnetic hooks with me because I know I won’t have any place to hang these things. On Norwegian Bliss, my room had two!

Electric outlets: There were plenty of outlets, including regular outlets by the desk and a USB port on either side of the bed. 

More About My Bliss Stateroom 

My room steward, Muhammed, was quiet, and I seldom saw him. But he kept my room clean and serviced twice a day. And he always had a fresh bucket of ice for me every morning and evening.

He even left me a towel animal my last night of the cruise, something you virtually never get on an NCL cruise. 

Here are a few other basics to know about. The room has a couch, which is always a plus in my book.

The desk area is relatively small, but there was a ledge in front of the mirror, which was handy for putting smaller items. There’s a bit of under-desk cabinetry where you’ll find several shelves for placing anything that doesn’t fit in the closet. 

Uh-Oh..Bathroom Problem

One additional note about my bathroom. It always smelled of sewage. It was manageable at sea, but it reeked on port days.

Because I didn’t spend much time in the room, I never bothered to complain about it. I’m also convinced the cabin’s location had much to do with it. (My cabin was the second to the most forward cabin on deck 11.)

INSIDER TIP:  If your room comes with a bar of soap, do not leave it wet on the counter. It’ll stick, and you’ll never be able to move it again without a pry bar.  

Oh, about the balcony. It’s also smaller than the industry average but excellent for two people sitting and reading or watching sail away.

Of course, viewing the extended balconies a few decks below with two upright chairs, two loungers, and a small dining table made my standard balcony feel even smaller. 

Dining on Norwegian Bliss 

Dining on Norwegian Bliss is a highlight, even if you’re not shelling out the extra cash for specialty dining (of which there’s a lot).

READ MORE:  NORWEGIAN BLISS DINING GUIDE – ALL 19 RESTAURANTS  

Let’s talk complimentary first. On Bliss, you’ll find three main dining rooms, plus The Local Bar & Grill (open 24 hours), and the buffet. 

Food is excellent at all spots. I loved getting breakfast at The Local. Even though the menu is smaller than in the main dining rooms, the service is consistent and fast.

And I love the feel there. It’s more diner than a pub with several booths where I like to sit with my computer and check my email while enjoying an omelet or French toast. Oh, and that French toast. So good. Super thick but smallish pieces, so I never felt too guilty for indulging. 

My go-to for lunch was usually one of the smaller main dining rooms, Taste or Savor. Because of their smaller size, they feel more like specialty restaurants than the Main Dining Rooms.

The menus were the same, and the food was always excellent. There was a corn chowder one day that I could have had for lunch/dinner every day and been totally satisfied! 

On days I was short on time, the buffet was okay, but, personally, I enjoy the atmosphere of the sit-down restaurants more than a buffet. With that said, there was plenty of choice at the buffet, and everything I ate was good. 

One Note About Dining Service

Overall, the service in the dining rooms was smooth and friendly. The only hiccup I encountered was when my friend ordered a glass of rosé at lunch. The waiter brought a White Zinfandel, a white wine, and a glass of red wine, and then a different waiter brought the rosé she had ordered.

Later that evening in The Cavern, an acquaintance was also served a White Zinfandel after ordering a rosé. I’m thinking NCL might want to invest in better sommelier training outside of the wine bar. 

For dinner, I ate in a specialty restaurant or one of the smaller main dining rooms. I tried the Manhattan Room once just to check it out. It’s got the same menu as Taste and Savor, but it’s much larger and has a more traditional main dining room feel.

You’ll never feel like you’re missing out on the best food on board if you stick with the free venues. But if you are looking for something “extra,” there are plenty of specialty restaurants to choose from. All but one (Teppanyaki) are priced a la carte. 

Speaking of specialty restaurants, NCL offers all guests several value-packed add-ons when they book a cruise. One of the value-adds is a dining package that, for a one-week cruise, gives you two nights at a specialty dining restaurant.

Before the pandemic, most cruisers had a choice of two (from six options). But, for the time being, the line is offering all six to anyone who books. 

My favorite specialty restaurant in the NCL fleet, and perhaps any cruise ship, is Teppanyaki, a hibachi-style Japanese restaurant on almost every NCL ship. On Bliss, it didn’t disappoint, though COVID-19 protocols mean some of the “show” has been changed. For instance, there are no flicking veggies at diners to see if they can catch them in their mouths anymore. 

But it’s the food I come for. It’s always delicious, and there’s plenty of it. I left stuffed to the gills and happy as a clam. 

My other favorite spot onboard was Coco’s, a for-fee gelateria that serves up crazy shakes and sundaes. A word of warning: If you’re watching your waistline, don’t go. Temptations abound. Thankfully, you can also get gelato by the scoop. I loved the white chocolate (with Oreo pieces and whipped cream, thank you very much). 

Insider Tip: If the six or so gelato flavors at Coco’s aren’t to your liking, you’ll find more options (like stracciatella) at Dolce Gelato on Deck 8 outside The Waterfront. 

I also immensely enjoyed Food Republic. It’s a sit-down eatery, but you order from touch screens, and it’s all tapas-sized plates. There are various choices, including an extensive sushi menu. 

My favorites were the chicken teriyaki satay and the Mexican street corn (elote). Two to four dishes are more than enough for two people (depending on your appetite, of course). 

On my first night onboard, I ate in Cagney’s as part of a large press group dinner. Cagney’s serves primarily red meat and shellfish, both things I don’t eat. I opted for a trout dish but didn’t have high hopes.

It wasn’t bad, but I’m glad I didn’t have to go back for another meal. With that said, everyone else loved their steaks and surf ‘n turfs. 

Three other specialty restaurants I tried out were Q (a barbecue place) and La Cucina and Le Bistro, both NCL staples. 

Q is a meat lover’s paradise. I had a tasty barbecued turkey, but the venue is for those who love brisket, pulled pork, and the like. However, there is the cinnamon and butter sweet potato dish that is divine!

Le Bistro is the line’s fine-dining French spot. I find it a bit heavy, and our dinner (another group press dinner) was a bit late for my taste. I opted for a vegetarian puff pastry. It was okay, but definitely not my favorite meal. Those who opted for the more traditional French fare (escargot, filet mignon, etc.) seemed to be enjoying their meals immensely. 

La Cucina was my least favorite of the restaurants I ate at, though the burrata appetizer was heavenly. My fettuccine alfredo and chicken cacciatore were both fine but nothing to write home about.

One last word about the “dining” on Norwegian Bliss. More accurately, the drinking. In addition to the large selection of eateries onboard, there are several bars, with many specializing in a specific type of drink.

There’s The District for beer and Sugarcane for mojitos. There’s the A-List for gin & tonics and The Cellars for wine. Even some restaurants, like Q, have signature cocktails worth trying out at least once. 

Insider Tip: There’s a small bar on The Waterfront, Sail & Sustain Bar, just outside Maltings. It’s rarely advertised on the daily program, but it’s worth visiting.

All the cocktails there are made with reused ingredients. For instance, the buffet’s orange peels and pineapple rinds are roasted and used as garnishes.

Leftover croissants are crushed and added, and even coffee grounds are cleaned and used to make a coffee liqueur ingredient. I know that sounds gross, but it’s not. 

Entertainment and Onboard Activities 

There is a LOT to do on Norwegian Bliss. From morning to late at night. And, unlike dining, most of the entertainment is free. (The same isn’t true for activities.)

For the most popular activities and shows, sign up early! Even at 50% occupancy on our sailing, the Comedy Club had filled up within less than two days. And the Go-Kart had only a few openings. 

The same is true for the Broadway shows “Jersey Boys” and “Six: The Musical.” Sign up for your preferred time slot on day one of your cruise! 

On our sailing, “ Jersey Boys ” wasn’t playing, but I’d seen it before on a previous Norwegian Bliss sailing, and it’s fantastic. 

“ Six: The Musical ” is a newer Broadway musical I knew little about. It’s the “herstory” of Henry III’s six wives; a pop musical with fabulous costumes. Learning about their stories was interesting and prompted a Google search later that night.

But the music didn’t connect with me on a deep level. That isn’t saying much; I’m not a “Hamilton” fan either. Like “Hamilton,” “Six: The Musical” already has a cult following, and some fans book a cruise on Bliss just to see the show. 

You’ll need to plan your other evening activities to get the timing right for karaoke and The Beatles cover band. Both take place in The Cavern Club, an atmospheric bar styled after the famous Liverpool club where The Beatles got their start.

It’s got a great vibe but is small and fills up quickly. You’ll need to get to these at least 30 minutes early if you want a seat. 

The once-a-cruise Bandaoke (karaoke with a live band backing you up) is held in the Atrium rather than The Cavern. It drew a sizeable crowd on our sailing and was a real hoot. Sadly, it only went for an hour. I’m sure everyone would happily stay around for another hour or two!

Insider Tip: The Beatles cover band offers three shows (early, middle, and late Beatles) in The Cavern Club. A fourth show is held in the main theater (usually on the second to last or last seaday) with highlights from the other three shows.  

Other evening activities include live music in various venues throughout the ship. If you like Latin music and dancing, you’ll want to head to Sugarcane Mojito Bar, where the vibe is Caliente. 

If you’re more interested in a Piano Man vibe, head to The District Brewhouse, where you’ll find something like 25 beers on tap. 

Insider Tip: There are plenty of spots to relax and read on Norwegian Bliss, but my favorite in the early part of the day was The District Brewhouse. Few people think to go there, so it’s almost always a super quiet spot. It doesn’t usually open until the afternoon, and it’s got super comfy leather couches and lots of natural sunlight. 

Later at night, the D.J. takes over at The Social (usually the comedy club) for thumping beats that depending on the passengers, either draws a crowd … or doesn’t. I only made it to the Halloween party at The Social, but it was packed and bumping for a good couple of hours. The “Six” queens even came out to enjoy the fun. 

Laser Tag and the Go-Kart are also open in the early evening, with the laser tag arena taking on a glow-in-the-dark vibe for extra effect. On my sailing, laser tag seemed to be mostly deserted. I suspect it’s more of a kids/teens thing than an adult thing, and our sailing had no one under the age of 12. 

The same can’t be said of Go-Karts, which were regularly used by adults to channel their inner teenagers. I’d done the Go-Karts on a previous cruise, so I didn’t give it a go this time. The first time I found it a bit frustrating because if you get stuck on the track with a slow driver, there’s very little “go” in the experience. 

 You can pay for a single session or purchase a full-cruise pass. And, speaking of money, both the Go-Karts and Laser Tag cost extra money. 

And, of course, if you’ve got money to spare, the casino is always happening.

The Ocean Loops take riders out over the open water in a clear tube, though you’re going so fast you probably won’t even notice! The Aqua Racer lets you and a friend race side-by-side down the slide. The waterslides are free of charge. There’s also a waterpark for kids, but it was always empty on our sailing with no children.

Besides the Go-Karts and Laser Tag, daytime activities are more cruise traditional on Norwegian Bliss. There’s trivia (a personal favorite), cooking demos, arts and crafts, and pool games. There are art and wellness seminars, shop talks, and language classes. 

RELATED:  NORWEGIAN BLISS GO-KART UNLIMITED PACKAGES

Extra-fee activities include Bingo, Deal or No Deal, wine and whisky tastings, and even a wine and chocolate pairing. 

I spent more than a few hours at the spa, getting treatments. But Norwegian Bliss also has a phenomenal thermal suite with heated ceramic loungers, various saunas, an ice room (with actual snow!), a thalassotherapy pool, and a salt room.

You have to pay for a full-cruise pass to use the thermal suite. The passes didn’t sell out on our cruise because the ship was only at 50% occupancy. Full sailings usually see the passes sell out the first day. 

Who’s Onboard

While sailing from Los Angeles, Norwegian Bliss draws heavily from the West Coast. The vast majority of people on our sailing were from California, with a spattering from Washington State and Oregon. 

NCL’s vaccination policy means no under-12s are allowed, so few families were on board. I saw a few teens from time to time, but my sailing was pretty much all adults. Ages ranged from 20-somethings to people in their 50s and 60s. There were also older folks, but fewer than I usually expect to see on a one-week warm-weather cruise. 

Perhaps, because it draws from the L.A. crowd, there seemed to be lots of well-to-do 20- and 30-year-olds having a good time. I even saw a fair number of younger couples in The Haven (the ship’s suite enclave), noticeably more than I’ve seen there before.

Final Thoughts on my Norwegian Bliss cruise. 

Norwegian Bliss is a beautiful ship with lots of things to do. For me, the variety of dining choices and the Broadway shows make the ship. I honestly believe the newer NCL ships have some of the best entertainment at sea, and the performances on Bliss didn’t disappoint.

While it can feel a bit nickel and dime-y at times, there is plenty that’s free. Plus, most of the line’s fares come with some value-adds, like free dining in specialty restaurants, which can cut down on some extra costs. 

Overall, I enjoyed my time on Bliss and would be happy to sail on the ship again. 

Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship Recap

Category : Mainstream Cruise Line (with Carnival and Royal Caribbean)

Internet/Wifi:  Extra fee. 

Date of Cruise: October 24-31, 2021.

Disclosure: I was a guest of NCL during my time onboard Norwegian Bliss. I was also given a premium drink package, access to the thermal suite, and Go-Kart Track/Laser Tag. All opinions in this Norwegian Bliss cruise ship review are my own and reflect my personal cruise experience and observations. 

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Updated on August 6, 2022 by Sherry Laskin

• Norwegian Cruise Line

12/24 to 12/31 Bliss to Mexican Riviera - Thoughts and dailies

By Bridgetocaptain , December 31, 2023 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Bridgetocaptain

Happy New Year cruisers! Just got off the Dec 24 - 31 Bliss sailing to the Mexican Riviera and wanted to share my experience in case it might be helpful.

  A little about me to start: My husband and I are in our early 40s. We traveled without kids or any other family. This was my second cruise — my first was on the Bliss to Alaska back in October.  

Overall: I had a good time, enjoyed the ports, and have a very favorable opinion of NCL. But I would probably never do a Christmas or holiday cruise ever again. It was incredibly crowded (4970 passengers) and there were way too many kids (a crew member told me that it was about 1/3). To be fair, I expected this going in, but what I underestimated was just how many inconsiderate parents there are out there. I tried to adjust my schedule to things that I assumed would be more adult and this mostly worked, but it was still a little more than I bargained for. It was not uncommon, for example, for kids to be     running up and down the cabin hallways late at night, or in the theater before presentations. There was even one lady who tried to have her preteen kids sit front row at an adult comedy show. (Multiple staff asked her to leave, but she didn’t budge until she was shamed by multiple passengers!)

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’ll tell you a bit more about various aspects of the trip, if you’re still interested. 🙂  (Will also post the dailies in a bit.)

Embarkation

I expected embarkation to be a nightmare because we didn’t have luggage tags or boarding passes (lesson learned: edocs stop being available 72 hours before sail!). We got to the port at 950 because we weren’t sure how much of a problem this would be. Turns out it wasn’t- they had a table out for those who didn’t have tags, and the security person was able to look up our name to get us past the checkpoint. Overall, it probably took us an extra 5 minutes. The waiting area had lots of seats, and once they started boarding, it moved quickly. We were on board and enjoying drinks shortly after 11am despite not having any priority status.  

As for the port itself, the surrounding area was very clean, and the parking felt safe ( not like the Seattle port where we came back to see that multiple cars had their windows smashed). We got a spot two minutes from the luggage area and it was $20/night.

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Freestyle Daily - Day 1

valleyvillage

It is so generous of you to share with us, and so quickly, too!

Molokai-Chuck

Bridgetocaptain ...

A BIG thanks to you for your posting. And the Paper also. We board the Bliss next Sunday ... so following your posting close for sure.

molokai-chuck

despite the full ship, I chose not to book dining reservations right away because I wanted to see each night’s entertainment options first. This left us mostly eating at the buffet or the local. While I would have liked to have had a few more formal meals, we found enough options that we liked at both places to keep us happy. I also liked that we were able to get in and out of those places relatively quickly…I was able to get into taste one night at 845 without a reservation (all the other times there were long lines to get in). Three courses took about an hour, which is reasonable, but a family of four sitting next to us supposedly had waited much longer. They made a big stink and demanded to take their food to go, but had to be told by multiple managers that this was not allowed before someone finally caved in. 😬

For specialty dining, the only places with same day reservations seemed to be Q, Los Lobos, and Food Republic. We ate at Los Lobos for our first meal, and all the food was incredible. Highly recommend the shrimp skewer and the tres leches cake! We also went to Food Republic twice. Tip: Use one dining credit for two people- unless you really need a three course meal, this is more than enough food, as you can order 4 items with one credit. Favorites there include the pork belly bao, pad Thai (you can ask for them to spice it up), rock shrimp roll, and the crispy salmon skin roll.

ChiefMateJRK

42 minutes ago, Bridgetocaptain said: I chose not to book dining reservations right away because I wanted to see each night’s entertainment options first.

Many will go ahead and book and then make/attempt changes as schedule demands.  You may wish to try this in the future.

10 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said: Many will go ahead and book and then make/attempt changes as schedule demands.  You may wish to try this in the future.

Yes, will probably do this next time. Can you cancel from your tv or do you have to make changes in person?

Entertainment

Saw Jersey Boys again after seeing it on the Alaska cruise a couple months back. It was a different cast, but just as enjoyable and fun as the first time. I chose to skip Six this time around. If you’re into history, or “herstory” rather, it’s worth a watch, but I don’t think it’s the type of show that most people would want to see again and again. 🤔  

Beatles revolution was the other hot ticket on the ship. You don’t need reservations to see them, but if you want a seat in the cavern club, get there early. I got there 45 minutes to an hour early for two shows and found that the place filled up within about 15 minutes. They also played twice in the larger theater if you don’t want to wait, but the sound quality in the club setting is much better. The set and costumes (including silly wigs!) were different each time, so it never got old…

Aside from this, the bliss theater also featured one holiday show Christmas Eve and another show called Ebony and Ivory, but those did not repeat and I missed them….

The comedy and lounge acts were hit or miss…mostly miss. Omid Singh (comedy), JC (piano/lounge), and temperature band (soul/ r and b) were better than the rest. For country, on this cruise and the previous one, they had a band that seemed technically talented, but wasn’t all that entertaining. I think having bands play in Q just doesn’t work because you have to sit so far away from the band if you’re not dining that you don’t feel the energy, and the band doesn’t either.  (Curious if anyone has ever had a good time watching a band in q?)

Late night, karaoke in the cavern club was the place to be, but again you have to get there early or be prepared to squeeze yourself uncomfortably into the corner.

As for events hosted by cruise staff, I highly recommend all the dance classes, even if you’re not mobile and can only watch. Also don’t miss the How to run a cruise ship presentation where you can hear fun facts about the ship and meet the captain and other officers!

15 minutes ago, Bridgetocaptain said: Yes, will probably do this next time. Can you cancel from your tv or do you have to make changes in person?

If you just eat somewhere else, they will cancel your reservation when you check in.  You can also ask, for example, when checking in for lunch that they cancel your dinner reservation at xyz.

14 minutes ago, Bridgetocaptain said: I think having bands play in Q just doesn’t work because you have to sit so far away from the band if you’re not dining that you don’t feel the energy, and the band doesn’t either.  (Curious if anyone has ever had a good time watching a band in q?)

Been there.  It's REALLY stupid.  There was about 10% occupancy at the dinning tables, but I couldn't go down and sit there until Q closed at whenever.

Nclcruise1415

Appreciate the in depth reviews. We board in 5 weeks. 

schmoopie17

19 hours ago, Bridgetocaptain said:    (Curious if anyone has ever had a good time watching a band in q?)

We've never had a good time doing anything at Q. Tried it twice...band was meh and the food was even meher (if that's even a word). Won't waste a SP credit there ever again.

11 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said: We've never had a good time doing anything at Q. Tried it twice...band was meh and the food was even meher (if that's even a word). Won't waste a SP credit there ever again.

Yep. We used a SD credit there exactly one time (never again).  That food was absolute  💩 .  Actually, I got that sampler platter that gave you a taste of four of their main items, so it was  💩 💩 💩 💩 .  The band was good though!  😎

Thank you so much!  How about ports?  Cruising the Bliss and west coast for first time in March.  Thanks! 

We were also on this cruise look forward to the rest of your review. we went to see Six and were not impressed it's a one and done for us (along with everyone else we talked to on the ship) Jersey boys was GREAT!

Was there a party one night where everyone was encouraged to wear white?

I was on the same sailing as a solo passenger and I had similar concerns about kids and crowding, but a pretty different experience. The solo cabins were super quiet as there were no families and I generally didn’t have too long of a wait for anything. I did avoid the buffet most of the time.

And that incident with the mother and young kids at the comedy show was the talk of the cruise as everyone seemed to have heard about it at one point or another.

On 12/31/2023 at 2:17 PM, Bridgetocaptain said: Happy New Year cruisers! Just got off the Dec 24 - 31 Bliss sailing to the Mexican Riviera and wanted to share my experience in case it might be helpful.     A little about me to start: My husband and I are in our early 40s. We traveled without kids or any other family. This was my second cruise — my first was on the Bliss to Alaska back in October.     Overall: I had a good time, enjoyed the ports, and have a very favorable opinion of NCL. But I would probably never do a Christmas or holiday cruise ever again. It was incredibly crowded (4970 passengers) and there were way too many kids (a crew member told me that it was about 1/3). To be fair, I expected this going in, but what I underestimated was just how many inconsiderate parents there are out there. I tried to adjust my schedule to things that I assumed would be more adult and this mostly worked, but it was still a little more than I bargained for. It was not uncommon, for example, for kids to be     running up and down the cabin hallways late at night, or in the theater before presentations. There was even one lady who tried to have her preteen kids sit front row at an adult comedy show. (Multiple staff asked her to leave, but she didn’t budge until she was shamed by multiple passengers!)   Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’ll tell you a bit more about various aspects of the trip, if you’re still interested. 🙂  (Will also post the dailies in a bit.)   Embarkation I expected embarkation to be a nightmare because we didn’t have luggage tags or boarding passes (lesson learned: edocs stop being available 72 hours before sail!). We got to the port at 950 because we weren’t sure how much of a problem this would be. Turns out it wasn’t- they had a table out for those who didn’t have tags, and the security person was able to look up our name to get us past the checkpoint. Overall, it probably took us an extra 5 minutes. The waiting area had lots of seats, and once they started boarding, it moved quickly. We were on board and enjoying drinks shortly after 11am despite not having any priority status.   As for the port itself, the surrounding area was very clean, and the parking felt safe ( not like the Seattle port where we came back to see that multiple cars had their windows smashed). We got a spot two minutes from the luggage area and it was $20/night.   TBC…

Was there a glow party on this cruise? If yes, do you remember which night? Thanks

3 hours ago, Wink87 said: Was there a glow party on this cruise? If yes, do you remember which night? Thanks

There was a glow Caliente party on day 4. Uploading the dailies now… I did not attend. Is this fun?

Dailies for Day 2

Dailies for day 3

Dailies for Day 4

Dailies Day 5

I misplaced day 6. Here is day 7

On 1/1/2024 at 3:25 PM, L1211 said: Thank you so much!  How about ports?  Cruising the Bliss and west coast for first time in March.  

Below I’ve added commentary on Cabo. Will add more later this week. I hope you have a great time and let me know if you have any more questions!

the daily from the day before we arrived in Cabo suggested reserving tender tickets in advance, but I tried this and none were available. I was worried that this would mean we wouldn’t get off for hours, but since we were the only ship in port that day, it only took about 45 minutes. We waited by the maltings whiskey bar after they started calling groups with tickets. There were crew there on walkie talkies trying to fill the tenders as fast as possible. We were ready to go, so they escorted us to the tender even though they hadn’t yet gotten to general boarding…

The tender was about a 10 minute ride. It was a bit of a rough ride, but very beautiful and there were seals  that swam alongside us! 

I had originally contemplated taking a water taxi to see the arch and the nearby beaches, but it didn’t seem necessary after we got there. We had a good view of the arch coming in to port, and it felt silly to go from the ship to the tender to yet another boat, so we opted to walk through the city instead. 

the entire marina and waterfront area is beautiful, but be prepared to be accosted by many persistent vendors the entire time you’re there! our first stop was Cabo wabo, which we knew would be cheesy, but was something we wanted to try at least once. During the day, this place was underwhelming to say the least. We paid nearly 1000 pesos for two small drinks, an appetizer, and tip! I suppose it might have been fun at night with entertainment, but without it, it just felt like a very expensive bathroom stop. 😂 From Cabo wabo, it was a 3 minute walk to Tacos Guss, a humble but very delicious taco spot. We shared 4 tacos and each had a beer for slightly more than what one drink cost at CW.

From Tacos Guss it’s about a 15 minute walk to Medano Beach. There are lots of lively bars and beach clubs, but most of the better looking places did not have beachfront seating despite the fact that there was only one ship in port that day. We tried to get into The Office but the wait was over 30 minutes, so we just walked along the beach which was beautiful but again, very hectic. We ended up at Baja Brewing, a relatively hidden gem on the 7th floor of the Corazon resort. The view of the beach was amazing. The beer was decent, and the smoked Marlin empanadas were even better!  

We walked around a bit more near the marina before heading back to the pier about an hour and a half before all aboard time. Already the line for tenders was very long, but it only took about 30 minutes before we were back on the Bliss.

Overall, I think Cabo was the most beautiful and scenic of all the ports we visited, but I also found it to be the most inundated with vendors. I’d love to go again, but next time I’d look into shore excursions that take you outside of town or look into reserving a day pass at a beach resort outside of medano beach. If you all have recommendations for me, would love to hear them!  

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The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages:  379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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