Cruises offer much more than just relaxation on the open sea. They provide an all-in-one vacation…read moreexperience with world-class entertainment, diverse dining options, and the chance to explore multiple destinations--all at an incredible value.
Some of us were first-time cruisers, and the others had experience on other cruise lines. My partner, his family, our friends and I had decided on a 7-day Alaskan Cruise on the Norwegian Bliss departing from Seattle with stops in Sitka, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and Victoria, BC (to comply with a 100-year-old law) from 8pm to midnight. We had balcony rooms on Deck 10.
We were blessed to have good weather with some sunshine sans rain. The Norwegian Bliss is the biggest ship we have ever sailed on.
There was no chance to be bored on this massive 20-story liner. From the swimming pools, water slides, impressive go-kart track, and numerous activities to the varied, as well as many, food and beverage outlets scattered all over the ship.
We enjoyed the entertainment of Brent and Sarah's magic show, the comedy show of Chris Bower with Clint Jackson, and Trina Johnson.
There were so many people on board, as it's peak season. I also had an opportunity to reconnect with an ex-coworker from the travel agency after close to 30 years.
Our steward, Edwin, introduced himself on the first day and took care of us and the cabin. The staff overall was consistently cheerful, friendly, and helpful, especially our greeter, Cherry, at the buffet.
The port stops were well worth the trip on the Inside Passage. My only critique was the Ketchikan dock. One's docked 7 miles from town, and that puts a time crunch on the excursions. One needs to factor in 30 mins each way of shuttle transportation. However, the Ketchikan port shopping terminal is massive, and wait until this port to shop.
Overall we had a wonderful, memorable experience.