I have cruised on NCL numerous times and numerous ships in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, South and Central America as well as the US, Canada and Mexico. I think NCL has the best cruising package available called the Free at Sea which gives you a complete package covering dining, beverages, internet and excursions offers. I find the staff very welcoming and friendly and helpful. The officers including the captain are always willing to take a picture and chat for a moment. The food is great, especially the specialty dining. I love it. I've been on three this year and have booked another one for December. read more

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Norwegian Cruise Lines 12-Day Pacific Coast Cruise food review on board the NCL Jade. We visited complementary restaurants the Great Outdoors, O'Sheehan's, Alizar, Grand Pacific and Specialty restaurants Cagney's, Le Bistro, Jasmine Gardens, Starbucks, and La Cucina. Generally speaking dining on the NCL Jade was pretty good. We avoided the complementary Garden Cafe (Buffet). The images included are examples of the cuisine provided on board the ship. read more

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We sailed the Norwegian Epic on March 31, 2025, for a 15-day transatlantic from New York to Spain and Italy. We've cruised often with NCL and other lines (my wife is Platinum, I'm almost there), so we know what to expect. Pricing isn't what it used to be, but CruiseNext and CruiseFirst help. This was our first time on the Epic. Despite its reputation, crowds weren't unbearable, though the main dining rooms (Taste and Manhattan Room) had long waits unless you arrived 45 minutes early. The buffet was spacious but food overall leaned salty. Cabins are the ship's most controversial feature. Our inside cabin had the toilet and shower split by the entry and a tiny sink in the sleeping area. Ventilation blew directly on the bed, creating drafts, and dust around the vents was noticeable. The room had just two outlets (no USBs), some wear and tear, and limited TV options. On the plus side, the doors were soundproof and mattress toppers are available if requested quickly. Entertainment was excellent. Burn the Floor was high-energy, and the Beatles tribute band (Epic Beatles) was a highlight, though often performed in the overcrowded pub. O'Sheehan's, open 24/7, was a reliable spot for good complimentary food without the waits. The fitness center was well-equipped, though saunas required a pricey spa pass. We tried Moderno, NCL's Brazilian steakhouse ($50 pp). Meats were good but not as strong as land-based churrascarias, though the salad bar was generous. The casino was the largest I've seen at sea. Overall, I'd rate the cruise average. We lost our first port, Funchal, Portugal, due to a refueling mishap in New York, which was disappointing despite the $100 OBC offered. Still, with solid entertainment and convenient 24/7 dining, the Epic delivered a mixed but memorable experience. read more

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Wow! This cruise line was pretty good. It was our first cruise so I'm not sure what else I can expect. We boarded the boat on a Tuesday at 11:30 and the lines were really long. We didn't know what to do or where to go. But let me say this the employees that work here are very knowledgeable, nice and they're very informative. It took about 20 minutes or so for the whole process. The line kept moving. So we were happy. This cruise had about 18 decks. They have about 19 bars and Lounges throughout the boat. They also have an average of 7 complementary dinning restaurants and they also have 7 specialty dinning. But to make sure you book your specialty dinning early so you have a chance to dine with one of many good places to eat. We cruised to Caba San Lucas and Ensanada. Both were very beautiful. The only thing I wish was I wish we had more time to Explore and Support both places. 8 hours was kind of short. But hey that's more time to gamble on the boat. The casino is on Deck 7 which I knew by heart already. We were there almost every time. Especially when we were out at sea, because when we docked at a port they turn the machines to where you can't gamble. If you want to take a cruise to Mexico come here to tge Norwegian Cruise out was well worth it Oh and by the way get a balcony room we were on Deck 11 and it was quite amazing you can open and sit on and just relax! read more

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The standard check in process went fine. It was easy enough and fairly well organized. The balcony cabin is a nice feature as it allows you to escape the crowd and have your own private ocean view and fresh air. I can't text my family on the ship at sea. The NCL app has no communication feature that allows you to text contact other family members on board. -bring sticky notes. There are no water stations to refill your water bottles. We have to use a cup at one of the juice machines in one of the complimentary dining rooms. When they are closed, no water. We ended up having to purchase a water package on top of the 'More At Sea' drink package. Now we have cans of water that were delivered to our room. The food is really good from what we've had so far. I'm surprised by just how tasty some of the food is in the buffet, it's done very well and the mixed drinks from the bars are awesome. The staff is incredibly polite and cheerful. The service is top notch. The Norwegian Bliss is definitely a family friendly party ship. The arcade has a nice variety of video games and air hockey. There is also a teen only area as well as a play area for the little ones called 'Splash'. Combined with the casino, pools, waterslides and abundance of bars, the atmosphere here can get quite boisterous and cheerful. At Cagney's Steakhouse we had an outdoor table with wind protection and heat. The service is very good, but I think they forgot us out there. It took quite a while for our series of drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts to arrive. ......unless dinner was SUPPOSED to take 2 hours. There are almost always going to be hiccups in any travel, nothing here was a dealbreaker. However, for our personal tastes, this family oriented party ship is quite a bit louder than we anticipated. read more

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My early 25th anniversary cruise aboard the Norwegian Encore. Check in process went by quick. Luggage was picked up outside on the pier. Pictures were taken and great communication on how to add monies , get clearance and directions to muster station. . Staff were friendly and helpful. It was a short wait for our rooms to be ready but getting familiar with the ship kept us busy ! This cruise ship is huge and spacious. Many bars, restaurants, decks, restrooms, social areas, shows etc. Food was delicious ! Balcony room was spacious and clean. This was my first time cruising with NCL and it did not disappoint. Ship kept me entertained the entire 7 days . I will definitely cruise again with NCL. read more

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I took my family on our first Alaskan cruise. We decided to sail out of Seattle on a 7 night Norwegian Bliss itinerary that included various ports in Alaskan and Victoria, British Columbia. Overall, it was a very special experience that I would highly recommend to anyone. Now, this was my 14th cruise so I have a bit to compare to. That's what I'll focus my review on. I have experience with Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, and now Norwegian. Food: Carnival is best. Norwegian is second. Disney and Royal tied for a distant third. The one downside of Norwegian food is that the menu is generally the same every day. And no free lobster tail night. And no shrimp cocktail for appetizer. Service/Friendliness: Surprisingly, the Norwegian staff wasn't too friendly. Some were, but staff are way less "fun" than Carnival. To be expected I suppose since Carnival is the "Fun Ship". This is not to say that any Norwegian staff were mean or unprofessional. All were good, just not over the top nice or friendly. Programming like trivia and group games: Norwegian has their act together. You can tell the games are well prepared and they use way more AV than other cruise lines in my experience. Best programming I've experienced. Other cruise lines are a bit clunky. Ships: Royal is number one (particular the new bug ships like Harmony), then Norwegian, then Carnival. I haven't sailed Disney in a while so I won't rank them here. Embark/Debark process: very, very smooth! Royal out of Galveston's new port was by far the best. Norwegian out of Seattle comes second. Our Carnival Jubilee experience out of Galveston was a disaster. Super long unorganized lines, people cutting like crazy with no staff in sight to regulate. I could go on and on, but I'll quickly conclude with high marks for Norwegian. I would definitely cruise Norwegian again though my preference continues to be Carnival. read more

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UPDATE 11-7-25- it's been 2 months since our return home from our cruise. I have contacted the cruise line and sent photos of my husband's injury. I asked the cruise line for a transcript of my initial reservation. This is when I requested the handicap accessible room. They have not responded. I'm contemplating hiring an attorney. I should NOT have to go to these lengths just to talk to someone about this issue. This is why I have now demoted Norwegian Cruise lines to 2 stars. read more

Norwegian Cruise Lines - Norwegian Cruise Lines ship "The Joy" - Boat Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

TL;DR - We had a wonderful time on the Norwegian Bliss! I'll try to make this shorter than my Cruise Critic review. It was a last-minute decision to book this 7 Night Alaskan cruise out of Seattle for our anniversary. We were set on selecting another Haven suite after returning from a Mediterranean cruise on the Epic. That Haven experience made quite an impression on how we want to go forward on future cruises. We couldn't find a suite available with a large forward-facing balcony due to the design of the ship. What we did find was a spacious Haven Aft-Facing Penthouse with Large Balcony (9318) on deck 9. It was the only one of its type that was available. We struggled a little with making this decision since this stateroom is the furthest away from The Haven complex. The pros outweighed the cons when considering the balcony size and totally unobstructed view that is needed for a great glacier view. The walk to the Haven wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. It was actually nice being closer to the specialty restaurants and entertainment on decks 6-8. We didn't need an elevator to get to the liveliest part of the ship. The Suite: It was very comfortable and had lots of storage space. It's nice to have a separate bedroom from the living area. The bathroom was very spacious. I love the jetted showers! The water pressure is everything. Our Butler was always there when we needed him. Pawan (PK) was great with getting us pitchers of water or soda. He brought us snacks throughout the day such as chocolate covered strawberries, sandwiches, and mini desserts. We had pizza delivered as we were heading to the Dawes Glacier. He's in charge of all the Haven aft suites which happen to be on multiple decks. He did it with such ease despite the many requests he had that afternoon. Our Steward (Jairus) was also wonderful. He knew our schedule well, and anticipated exactly what we needed without us even asking. The service was great! The Balcony: I can totally see why people love aft-facing balconies on Alaskan cruises. You're not getting as much of the cold wind in your face unless you're backing out of a cove. We felt like we saw much more wildlife, but then we also saw whale fins waving at us when dining at the Haven Restaurant on the forward side. I guess it's debatable. As you can see, we loved our balcony view. I would have preferred to be on a higher deck with the same balcony size & layout. There was a specialty restaurant underneath us where families would take group photos. We saw that a lot. You will see people walking around as you walk up to the railing, but it's totally private as you're sitting at your table or lounging in the chairs. It actually helped us one day when the photographer saw a brown bear on the coast of Endicott Arm. She pointed it out to us. It was so cool! We also saw whales, sea lions, seals, and eagles from that balcony. The Haven: It's a nice layout. There's a dedicated Haven elevator that only takes you to 3 decks. It's nice to have that if you have a forward suite in the complex. We never used it since we were on the 9th deck. The concierge reception area is right outside of the Haven bar and near the service elevator that is used for priority disembarkation. It's a great meet-up point to get that nice access. Our concierge (Patrick) was great in getting all of that organized, and answering all of our questions. The Haven Restaurant: It's bright and clean with a modern décor. The service was excellent! It all started with our lovely Maître D's (Gracia & Crystel). They were always so cheery. Our waiter (for most of our meals) was Cokorda. He always made our meal a special one. But I must say that all of the staff are amazing. It's difficult to single out just one person. They were all great! The manager also made a good impression by assisting other staff when needed, and not just directing them. It's always good to see that. The food was just as great as our previous experience. The Ship: It's a nice layout. Unfortunately, I can't really tell you much about the MDRs, buffets, entertainment, and bars. It's not our thing. We're more about the itinerary and tours. I think that's why the "ship within a ship" concept appeals to us more. I do wish we could have stayed longer at some of these ports, but this is the itinerary we chose. Many people complain about that. Embarkation and disembarkation all went smoothly. The specialty restaurants were hit or miss. We liked Food Republic the best of the 3 that we reserved. The Norwegian Bliss deserves 5 stars mainly for the Haven experience. We will continue to book by itinerary, but now we have to consider the ship. It needs to include the Haven Restaurant. NCL is not making it easy for us to choose, but we'll manage it somehow. It's worth it in our opinion. read more

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This was my 2nd ever cruise and my 1st on Encore to Alaska from Seattle. I would have enjoyed it better if it wasn't for the extra $20 daily gratuity charge per person I wasn't aware of. The 150 min. Free wifi I wasn't aware to log off of every time. I later purchased their $47 WiFi per person and it was still difficult to connect to other family members. I realized Alaska trip in all is a lot more expensive than going to Mexico. I should have been more aware as a first time Norwegian cruiser. read more

"Come Sail Away" - STYX NCL ENCORE: Seattle (Pier 66) to Alaska and back, sail dates 5/18/25 - 5/25/25. Arrived a day before to explore Seattle; stayed at a nearby hotel within walking distance so we didn't need to pay for a ride. Some hotels have complimentary shuttles to the Piers, ours did not. EMBARKATION: - no problems, quick - pre arranged time chosen from the app (earliest boarding time 10 AM) THE SHIP - large ship that holds 4000+ passengers - pools/hot tub were only used on Day 1 on Sail Away, mostly closed due to rough and cold weather. - racetrack was only open on one day due to weather - Galaxy Pavilion mostly VR games, $9 each play, unless you get the package. - Gym. Super crowded in the mornings. ROOM: - Club Balcony Suite for 3, nice. - bathroom had dual sinks, long vanity, walk in shower with glass doors - adequate lighting and wall USB ports - Queen bed which was separated upon request to two Twins, 3rd person slept on a made-up couch - free bag of laundry done for this room upgrade (the 'bag' was like a paper sack) - not noisy on this trip (off-peak season, not as many kids) - used balcony on Glacier Bay Day and a few other times, otherwise too cold to hang out on balcony, but totally worth the splurge. SERVICE: - hit or miss. Some grouchy, most average, a handful friendly. One exceptional. - room steward just OK. Forgetful. Didn't clean well. - fine dining staff need more training - bar staff average except for MJ at Malting's Whisky Bar (exceptional) BARS: - avoid Sugarcane Mojito Bar on Day 1, too crowded. - hit up Pool Deck Bar on Deck 16 when all other places are crowded. - Observation Lounge bar is very nice for evening cocktails. FOOD: - Cagney's ($72 extra) disappointing. Tiny portions, tiny overcooked steak. Main dish of 6 pieces of shrimp and small sides. Service poor to fair. - Onda ($48 extra) average food. Large portions. Weird doughy pasta like udon noodles. Service poor to fair. - The Local. Open late. Greasy food, horrible soups. Service fair to good. - The American Diner. Better food than The Local. Service very good. - Manhattan. Tiny ridiculous portions. Service fair. - Taste. Took 2 hours for lunch (standard, I think). Food was just oK. Service fair. - Buffet. Average to good food w/ a nice variety. Very bad scrambled 'eggs', opt for the freshly made omelets instead. Most days no seating available and we needed to take our breakfast to the Observation Deck, a floor down, or sit outside (chilly). PORTS: - Juneau. Did not see at all due to our excursion to Tracy Arm Fjord (highly recommend). - Skagway. Chilly and cold, warmed up in the PM. Booked our own Dog Musher's Camp excursion through Alaska Shore Excursions and saved $300 (see my review - highly recommend). Skagway Fish Co, walking distance to the docked ship was the best fish n chips we've ever had, and the price was cheaper than Skagway Brewing Co (super crowded). The Spruce Tip Ale was also better at SFCo vs SBCo. - Glacier Bay. All day. Ship rotates 360 deg so you can see from anywhere on the ship. Bow open for more views, crowded at 0830 AM. Very cold/windy. - Ketchikan. Very short port stop at Ward Cove, 7AM - 1PM, w/ a one-way 20 min bus ride and 15 standing in line = 35/40 min one way to town. Not too crowded due to it being off-season. Very cold and wet/rainy. Best shopping was at The Mill at Ward Cove with tax rate of 2% vs 8% in town. Tons of souvenirs. We did all of our Alaska shopping at The Mill. - Victoria BC. Very short 8PM - midnight stop, due to the PVSA of 1886 (look it up). Super duper crowded downtown w/ long ladies toilet line at the Visitor Center. Very beautiful town with cool old houses and lots of flowers everywhere. ENTERTAINMENT: - Choir Of Man. Highly recommend. Book early on the app. Best show ever. - Glacier Bay ranger talk. Very good, recommend. - Pianist Edgar very talented. - did not do the many things available on-board, we were too tired (silent disco, 80s night, trivia, karaoke, folding origami, etc) WIFI: - 150 'free' minutes with the More At Sea promo. Slow crappy connection. Put your phones in airplane mode on the ship to avoid roaming charges. DISEMBARKATION: - as early as 630 AM. We chose self-debark, super fast, no crowds that early. - self-disembark is the fastest, where you lug your own things off the ship - timed debarkation with color-coded luggage tags based on time, which you can pick up at guest services the night before - Port to Valet Service (free) to have your bags sent directly from NCL to airport. COST BREAKDOWN: - approx $270 pp/day including the "mandatory" $420 gratuities ($20 pp/day) - does not include additional "tips" you feel you want to give, like a $1 for each bar drink, $50 to cabin steward, $25-$50 for excursion tour hosts, $5 to shore bus drivers (not necessary to tip additionally but we did). RETURN FACTOR: - high. May try Princess/Holland next. read more

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My husband and I used this cruise line for our honeymoon a little over a decade ago. Back then, I was extremely impressed with everything. The food and service were exceptional, the shows were full of talent and energy, and the excursions were wonderful. Even the people we met, have become friends for life. This time around, we left the port from Seattle to go on a week long Alaskan trip. The parking and driving in Seattle was bottlenecked by the pier. The check in process itself was quite seamless however. We first completed our safety check. Then it took quite a few hours to receive our luggage. They were also scattered randomly on the floor so we had to walk around to locate them. It was difficult to coordinate with our family afterward. Their on ship ap to message each other was broken so they removed it completely. And there was noting comparable to replace it. Anyways, begin with, I will just go over our overall food and beverage experience. Q Texas Smokehouse was the first restaurant we ate at. All the teasers were received were quite delicious, in particular the crab cakes. They were well seasoned, had a lot of meat, but also held together very well. We got a couple of pitmaster platters. The pulled pork was quite dry and needed to be mixed with lots of sauce. It ended up being a two hour dinner. Our server must have been new because he was asking his coworkers constantly how to do things. Our drinks were often empty and we had to get up to ask for service. The second night at Cagney's was an overall wonderful specialty dining experience. All the starters, especially the French onion soup and lobster bisque, were flavors and hearty in all the right places. The rib eye was very juicy and well seasoned. The only thing was the raspberry creme brûlée was probably a few minutes from the custard being set. The overall environment was more low key and candlelit. At Palomar, this is where my husband celebrated our 10 year anniversary. It was definitely one of our most memorable experiences. The starters were all very delicious and unique. The thalassani salad was our favorite appetizer. It was fresh and flavorful, presented in the shape of a beautiful wreath. The main entree I had was the lavraki sea scallops. The scallops were very well cooked with the perfect sear. The cherries on top were the desserts, except for the anniversary cake. The dark chocolate mousse cake was superb. The ratio of the sorbet to the mousse to the cake was just right. It was decadent and smooth. The few pieces of salted popcorn added a unique twist. The cheesecake in a jar a delightful surprise. The fresh puréed compote lended a tartness to balance it. The graham crackers were broken up and layered at the bottom. They were not soggy at all and gave it such great texture. Lastly, our server Chelsea was an absolute hoot. And he was waiting on us well. We anticipated our needs and we never felt like we needed to ask for anything. Standing ovation for him in particular! The Locals Bar and Grill is a favorite for the dine in ease and delicious American fare. Not to mention, they also had long opening hours. The top contenders included the fish and chips, which were well seasoned, and had a good ratio of meat and flour. The cobb salad toppings were plentiful and well sliced. Overall it was hearty and refreshing. Out of the main dining rooms, Manhattan was our favorite. Overall, this place had an upscale feel with wide panel windows that look out into the ocean. The free style dining was convenient but also made it difficult to establish any rapport with the staff. As far at the unlimited beverage package went, according to my husband and father in law, the options and mixers were not comparable to what was experienced at Royal Caribbean. Many of the bartenders did not go out of their way to give you an exceptional experience, even when tipped. It felt like they were just doing a job and they would get to you when it was convenient for them. The only person that went above and beyond was Orlando, who primarily worked at the District Brewhouse. He was extremely friendly, personable, and took the time to remember my family's favorite drinks. Now onto the entertainment, the biggest debut was the Choir of Man. It was a very lively cover song lineup set in a British pub. People in the crowd got to onstage to participate in beer drinking and several songs. They also did their rock star renditions in the show Icons. The comedy and talent shows were fine. Personally, they did not hold a candle to Intense, on Royal Caribbean. Overall, my experience all those years ago was not represented in our Alaskan trip this year. Food quality was still pretty good. However you can feel the pressure of declining customer service, understaffing, it was less family friendly, there was less entertainment, more up charging for many items (E.g. Go carts), and poor foot traffic layout (E.g. The running track overlapping with the American Diner). read more

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First time on NCL and we were on the largest ship, Encore. I really loved our Club Balcony Suite with the full size shower and double sink. The balcony is a must when cruising to Alaska so you don't have to fight for a spot in the observation deck. People would sleep there overnight and put a towel on the comfy chairs that line the floor to ceiling windows, so that was not cool. There should be a time limit so everyone gets to enjoy the view indoors where it is comfortable and warm. I personally like the food more on this ship than my previous cruises with other companies. There are a ton of restaurants and entertainment on board. We enjoyed both the Tepanyaki and Food Republic resturants. There are multiple dining rooms serving the same lunch/dinner (Savor, Taste, and The Manhattan Room) Loved the options. My favorite lunch was the fish tacos, they were always served hot. My favorite dinner was the Flounder with Arugula salad on top. My favorite show on board was Choir of Man. Such a wonderful cast and captivating show. We didn't actually get to do everything we wanted in our 7 day cruise, but it was fine. This one was a chill and relaxing time for us. The only thing I was disappointed by was the excursion we booked. I did not like the tea experience at the Empress in Victoria, BC. Instead of scones, mini sandwiches, and tasty bites...we each got two tiny appetizers and one full sized dessert that was waaayy to sweet. Even the dessert on board was better than the one we got at this fancy hotel. I couldn't even finish them, it was so bad. Wasted $100 each, and would recommend that you skip this excursion. read more

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We had an amazing time on the Norwegian Bliss. We marveled at how efficient, friendly, and well done everything and everyone was. Each staff member was warm and responsive. The entertainment was fantastic. The food was delicious with something for everyone. We preferred the dining rooms to the buffet which were easy to navigate and secure tables. We traveled with friends and had a group of 11. We were able to get reservations and seating easily. The communication between staff and passengers was ample and clear. It made for a very enjoyable cruise. The only negative was the horrible cell service. We discovered that we needed to have meeting times and places for our group or we may not see them in a single day. Once we figured that out, it was smooth sailing. We would definitely choose this cruise line again. read more

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We cruised the Norwegian Bliss to Alaska (Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria BC) - an interior room with 3 adults. The cabins were clean but be aware they advertise that they don't charge gratuities, instead they have a daily "service charge" which indeed another work around for you to pay gratuities. This was a beautiful boat, we were very impressed with it. It did not feel like it fit 5700 passengers plus crew. The Crew were all very friendly and hardworking. We had the "more at sea" which included free WiFi and the drink package. The free WiFi gives each passenger in the cabin 150 minutes of WiFi for the duration of your boat. You "login" to use the WiFi and then have to remember to log out afterwards so you don't use up all your minutes. I had difficulty with this WiFi. I only used it to text loved ones back home but spent most of my time trying to get my texts to send. The drink package was worth it. We got to try different drinks we wouldn't normally drink. All the bartenders were efficient and friendly. On a different cruise line, we waited 40 minutes at the bar to be served a drink, this was not the case here. The food was pretty good, not great but better than other lines. I enjoyed the Indian Bar and loved trying all the food. My complaints about the boat: I wish they had more shows, they had the same 3 repeating shows for the week: Icons, Jersey Boys and the Beatles. I remember on a previous Norwegian Cruise I was in awe at their shows and they even had acrobats; I was looking forward to a similar experience this time around. We went on an Alaskan Cruise, but they gave us a boat that also cruises Panama. They had these two big, beautiful pools on the main deck - even one of the adults only! But it was too cold to use the pools, not a soul was in the pool this trip. Why not use a boat that has indoor pools? I'm a frequent cruiser of MSC and all their boats have an outdoor and an indoor pool. The hot tubs were more like warm tubs, we tried to sit outside as we cruised Alaska but were too cold in the warm tub to do so. The adult only area at the back of the boat does not have a towel hut so you have to go down a floor and to the mid boat to the main pool to get a towel. The biggest disappointment in the Cruise and the cruise line is the lack of time we got to spend at each of the Port Calls in Alaska. For each of the 3 Alaskan Port calls, we were met with the same cruise boats the entire time. These other boats - Princess and Holland America - were docked before us and left the port after us. At. Every. Single. Port. We were the last to arrive and the first to leave. ALSO we were the boat that docked the farthest from the port. In reality we we really only had 4 hrs in each port. Our first day in Juneau, we were delayed getting off the boat by 3 hours due to weather. Ok that's fine but there was poor communication about it. And it was difficult to explain how all the other boats docked without issue except for us. In Ketchican, our Port of call was from 8am to 1pm.  We were docked at Wards Cove, 20 minutes from downtown Ketchican, which isn't that clearly explained to you when you book. You bet that the Princess and Holland America were docked right downtown. We had to wait in line with 5700 other passengers to board a shuttle, ride 20 mins to downtown. But the last shuttle to get us back on the boat was at 11:30 so we rushed to do what we wanted to do, got in line at the shuttle and waited 45 min to get a shuttle to return back. We were very disappointed in Glacier Bay, it is nothing like it was advertised for us. You get what you pay for. Keep this in mind when looking to book a cruise with them. read more

Norwegian Cruise Lines - Glacier bay - Boat Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The boarding process was pretty smooth except for when everyone was directed to the buffet and there were no seats anywhere. The buffet food selection daily was great. The other complimentary restaurants were also great. The disappointing part is that there is no 24/7 dining option or late closing restaurants. Even the buffet closed the same time as the other restaurants. read more

Went on 8 day Alaskan cruise with Norwegian's largest ship Encore. A short story can be written but will attempt a summary. Ambiance Just a stunning ship. This has 17 levels and will need to use elevator. Many areas to observe Glacier Bay, observed sea otters and whales spout water from a distance. Observatory Lounge indoors and gets packed. Customer Service Bars Off the charts, make you feel like u r at home. Only had one incident with extremely rude bartender near outdoor pool. Dining Exceptional, very accommodating. Purchased bar package. Make sure alcohol in ur drink under $15 or there will be a surcharge. Activities Blackjack tournaments, casino active while at sea. Encore speedway, cars go pretty fast. Multiple pools, hot tubs and water slide. Gym Entertainment The Beatles band was so good. Mentalist can read ur mind. Some musical with guys in a bar, very talented cast. Some rock band, Ricardo the guitarist very good. Dining Really made an effort to not overeat, always salads with meals. Upgraded one meal so much food. Only went to buffets for breakfast if in a hurry. Restaurants American Diner Garden Cafe Buffet Local Bar open 24 hours Manhattan Room Savor Taste Teppanyaki - upgrade Dishes Lots of salads Eggs Benedict Cheeseburgers Indian dishes NY strip Lobster - upgrade Wife planning cruise to Mexican Riviera on Norwegian ship Bliss. read more

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I've been on a lot of cruise lines but I'm no expert. I know what I like and don't like. I hate crowds and kids, I like good food and a good thermal spa. I like service with a smile, but being a Filipino who understands how hard it is to we a staffer on these ships, I'd rather have servers who are genuinely kind, grateful, and trying, rather than uptight and professional. For those reasons, Norwegian Cruise is okay. The food is just okay, but at least it's presented nicely in the Main Dining rooms. Their buffet items are diverse and there are plenty of stations, but I wish the food was more delicious. The entertainment was top notch. On the Bliss, the Beatles Experience did a great job, starting off with the early years in the Cavern Club that was stuffed with about two hundred people in it, then the next couple of nights they continued to do Beatles from the Sgt. Pepper era and an overall review in the Bliss Theater and you definitely want to reserve tickets to these shows because they were all sell outs. Jersey Boys was so good, I liked this cast better than the one I saw on Broadway. And the Icons show was so fun my sister wanted to watch it twice. The doors to our balcony cabins were beautiful and the cabins small if you don't have a suite. It did get a little trying for three people to move around each other in our small room, but you get used to it and learn to manage. The excursions were just okay. I don't feel like any of our Alaskan excursions were life changing, but amusing and impressive enough for my mom and her sisters and that's all I really care about. The card keys are one of the best features. My last cruise was on Holland and you had to take the card out of your lanyard sleeve to swipe your door open. That was a hassle and not easy for elderly hands. For NCL, we could leave the card in the sleeve to use on doors, to check into dinner or on the ship, and even to be able to get in and out of Victoria and onto the ship without having to pull out your passport. Sweet!!! The cruise line does an excellent job accommodating wheelchair bound passengers which I was thrilled about. We discovered the first day that mom wasn't going to be able to walk back and forth on the ship as much as she needed to, so luckily they rented out scooters and we didn't need to pre-book them. Call them up in the morning and they will deliver your scooter to your room for the day's activities, all charged up and ready to run around the ship or to take into town if need be. You can store the scooter in your room, which we did a couple of nights, but you can't leave it in the hallways because they are fire lanes, so call customer service and they'll pick your scooter up and deliver as needed. For me, this was the best feature of the line and it earns the cruise line a star all by itself. Do I love NCL? No. Would I take another trip on it? Maybe, but I wouldn't be excited about it. However I really appreciated the entertainment, the amenities like the thermal spa, race track, water slides, and accessibility so much that I am probably rating them higher than I feel. read more

I am really making a global review for a collective group of NCL ships I have been on travelling both Haven and non-Haven. I live in Long Island and generally sail NCL from the New York Docks. We booked the NCL Encore for our Alaskan Adventure. We flew in a few days early and toured the town extensively. When we were ready to board we simply walked to the pier. Usually we just take the Long Island Railroad into the city and walk over (or Uber) to the dock. Get to the port early.. when it get busy, it could take time to get through the security line. There are cruise lines that make you pick your dinner time! 5:30 or 7:30. When you're on a NCL cruise, there's too many things to do. I don't want to be looking at the time unless you have reservations which I reccomend you do BEFORE you get on the ship. This is where NCL shines. Do what you want and when you want to do it. It's NCL Freestyle. The shows and entertainment really stand out. From the Beatles tribute band, to Howl at the Moon to all the performers throughout the ship. It's non-stop entertainment. We saw "Six" on the Bliss and Jersey Boys on one of the ships. The Encore gave us "Choir of Man." All great entertainment. We had the unlimited drink package. There was a wine bar, mojito bar, a beer hall with over twenty taps, a whiskey bar, it goes on and on. The specialty restaurants are also something not be missed. Cagney's Steakhouse, Japanese Hibachi, Teppanyaki, Le Bistro, Ocean Blue, La Cucina or Onda (depending on your ship), Las Lobos, or Texas Smokehouse. The restaurants vary by ship. From the award winning shows, fun ports of call their beautiful cruise ships, I can only give a 5 Yelp star review because I can't give more. Make sure you visit the Cruise Next and purchase cetificates for a next cruise. This is a great way to get discounts. It's also a good idea to buy your internet ahead of cruise time... you can also get some good discounts. I will keep updating this review until it's multi pages long. In the meantime: KUDOs to the teams on all the NCL ships... You are all amazing. read more

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We were on the Encore. We Loved our trip from beginning to end. Our cabin steward was fantastic taking care of everything from the smallest detail . The entire staff on the ship all went out of their way to make sure we were happy with everything. NCL freestyle way of cruising is just how we like it. Every single meal was fantastic. Incredible shows. Not one thing was not looked after. read more

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I recently took my first cruise with NCL. I had previously cruised with Carnival and vowed to never go on another cruise. However, I wanted to do an Alaskan Cruise and so did the family so we booked a 7-night cruise out of Seattle on the Encore. From the moment we were dropped off at the port, it was completely 100% better than Carnival. Check in was sooo easy! The employees at the port were super helpful and cheerful. When we got on board we were greeted and pretty much everything sailed smoothly (pun intended). The ship is lovely! It is beautiful, big, but not too big. Fairly easy to navigate and had some great common places. I will do a separate review for the Encore and our cruise but overall NCL won my business. the food overall was completely average but that was my only real disappointment and unfortunately it's a kind of big one. By day 3 I was completely over the food. I searched in ports for better food. But for a 7k cruise man I wish there had been better food options! read more

First time on Norwegian. Not the largest ship I've been on. But full of fun. This cruise the Broadway way show is The Jersey Boys and the Icon. The Norwegian Bliss Alaskan cruise is a must take cruise. If your only cruise experience has been Royal Caribbean cruise line. Try not to compare them against one another. The menu for the Manhattan, Taste, and Savour restaurants all shared the same menu pretty much. However the service in the Manhattan was the worse. The desert in Taste was the best. The Garden cafe is buffet only for breakfast, lunch and dinner and was a hit or missed. The omelet station in the morning was the best. The roasted pig night carving was a good meal. The local bar and grill was the 24 hour spot for after hours eating. The specialty restaurants are the way to go for real good tasting foods. Drink plans depends on your budget and or how much alcohol you drink. I personally do not drink alcohol. But had the drink plan. With that I got a lot of Mocktail drinks and soda if I desired. But what I did find out was water bottles was not included in my plan. They definitely try to nickel and time you for everything. The activities were plentiful and for all ages. You will never be bore if you open yourself up to the different things on the ship. As for this particular Alaskan cruise. The upgrade to a balcony is a must have. Nothing like seeing the sunrise or sunset from your own balcony in the middle of the pacific ocean. My favorite part of the trip was going through Glacier Bay. For majestic sceneries, make sure your cruise goes through the bay. The scenery throughout the bay photos can never do it justice. To see it with your eyes is the best way. It is pure amazing. The weather is a give or take. It was a low of 19 degrees to a high of 57 degrees the last day. And that all depends on the time of year you take the trip. Over all the experience is a once in a life time and will have you wanted to take a second trip to Alaska. read more

Pier 66 is a great place to cruise out of and into. It is clean, modern and lots of nearby things to see and do! Of all my cruises with NCL, this is the best terminal. I love NCL and this cruise was on the Bliss to Alaska. absolutely wonderful! read more

Not sure where my review went but this is Part Two! Our cruise last week on the Encore was our first on a Mega Ship and it'll probably be our last. Just too much ship! Tons of walking and confusion. NCL did not impress us for several reasons. Communication was poor. Announcements were impossible to hear in many parts of the ship and the woman who made many of these spoke very fast and she had a heavy accent that just didn't help. Entertainment was minimal and below the standards we have experienced on other cruise lines. Long lines and crowds that were hard to deal with. The Garden Buffet was always jammed packed and it was difficult to find a table. Food was good especially breakfasts. Could use more variety. MDR food quality was dismal and meals were often repeated. Cabin was cramped for the two of us but adequate. Outside balcony was decent in size. Room always cleaned well by our cabin guy who we never met. All in, a decent cruise but it fell short of making us Raving Fans. Maybe we just expected too much from NCL! read more

Went on my first ever cruise with Norwegian and I was in a truly lovely aft facing room on deck 14. I would recommend that view if you can. I found not a lot to do on board while you were there unless you wanted to drink a ton and to be honest sometimes in the Local the music was so loud you couldn't even speak with the person you were with. Over all the food in the specialty restaurants and the main dining areas was okay at best I was never blown away or really drawn back to any one of them and we paid for some of the specialty ones so that was disappointing The race track was neat, mini golf, neat and they had laser tag which we didn't get to. The pool wasn't particularly useful as it was fairly chilly and rainy most days as expected in Alaska. The excursions were good but in each port you don't really get all that much time depending on what you're hoping to do, I wish there had been more time to explore these towns. Ketchikan was a short port and you had to take a shuttle to town to then walk around and the last one back means you need to be up and going early if you want to see everything you can and we were in Victoria only from 8pm-11:59pm and it was a huge shuttle line because 3 ships came in at once so we spent 90% of the time in Victoria where the shops were closed. Also if you didn't want to wait for the shuttle you could walk but but it was a bit chilly and dark so that wasn't for us. The stateroom attendant we had was really nice and kept our room very tidy but the bed wasn't very comfortable and we had gotten the extra mats Not a bad experience on the ship but not super impressive either. The trip to Alaska once in a lifetime that I'm so grateful to have been on just not sold on this being the cruiseline for me read more

Just got back from a 10-night sailing on the Norwegian Joy. The cruise was mostly enjoyable--great ship, decent food, and comfortable rooms. But it didn't come without its disappointments. First, there were a few logistical misses: no CPAP outlet near the bed, no distilled water or champagne as promised. But the biggest issue was how we were treated by Spa Manager Milivoje Gavrilović. On Day 1, we bought the spa pass, and the spa rep gave us two tubes of body wash saying they were "for signing up." We assumed they were complimentary. Days later, we noticed $98 charges per bottle. When we brought this up, Milivoje said we could return them. But instead of resolving it professionally, she pulled the employee from a guest treatment in front of others and said the cost would come out of the employee's paycheck. We made it clear we didn't want that--we just wanted transparency and respect. This interaction felt shady and uncomfortable, and it genuinely ruined the otherwise relaxing spa experience. Because of her handling, we're rating the trip 3 out of 5. If you cruise with Norwegian, watch your account carefully and ask direct questions before accepting any "freebies." read more

Just returned from a one week cruise to Alaska on the NCL Bliss. The service everywhere on the ship was outstanding. I can't emphasize that enough. We had dinner nightly at Taste, Savor and Manhattan Room. The menus are the same, and we found most of the food to be quite good. The ship is very clean and updated. If you cruise to Alaska, a balcony is a must. The views are incredible. We found our times in port to be a little disappointing because they typically began at 6:00 am and went anywhere from noon to 3:00. My son stayed in line for the bus to take him to downtown Ketchikan and he was only able to spend a half hour in town until he was told he must get back on the return bus to ensure that he makes it in time. I preferred Celebrity for the Alaskan cruise, which I took a good decade ago. The ship must have been a lot smaller because we were able to walk right off the ships and into the towns. Our port times weren't as early, and we had more time in each port to relax and make the most of it. Our port times on ncl for Victoria, Canada were 8:00 pm to midnight. We wouldn't have been able to go to Butchart Gardens because we were there too late. By the time you account for the bus time to get into town (which includes long lines) and bus time back, you don't have much time at all in town. I would have preferred to have seen the port times in advance. I purchased Priority Access passes for my family, which cost $400 and that definitely wasn't worth it. We skipped only a few people in line. Overall we had an amazing time! An excellent cruise. I would just prefer longer port times and being docked nearer to town to avoid the long bus lines that steal half of your already limited time in town. read more

Fredgie our stateroom attendant was absolutely wonderful on Pride of America Nov. 8th 2025 cruise. We were happy with most of the excursions. However, little positive on the Norwegian boat. I wanted a Hawaiian cultural experience. Most of that programming was exactly when we were off boat for excursions. I was able to have 0NE half hour language class and one Lei making class on the day we were at sea and our excursions were canceled. Missed the Hula class because the time was changed by a half hour. The Polynesian show was only offered once, we had to get up early the next day, so missed that. Hawaii music duo was just ok.. no slide guitar, and pick-up did not work on the Ukulele. We had better music by the Smith family on a short river excursion. We felt trapped to our room. THE BOAT WAS NOISY. The so called conservatory quiet space, had rock music bleeding from the pool area on one side and two elevators on the other. The walking path had minimal views and was partly inside. Could not make the best of my time because the afternoon excursions started before the morning excursions returned. So most of Every day was in our stateroom. Food was mediocre except for the one dinner at the steak house. Minimal value for my money. read more

This is the worst cruise I've ever experienced ~ and I've been on many. Waiting for cleaning of the rooms, is ridiculous! Food quality while waiting for room is poor quality! read more

We have now been on 4-5 NCL cruises, respectively. Our last cruise in September to Alaska could have been great bc it had great entertainment on board which was its only saving grace but everything else was infuriating including the ports of call. We stopped in Juneau, Icey Straits, Sitka (that my bil refers to as "shitka") and Ketchikan and another port in Victoria, CN. Specifically, when we arrived to start our cruise, we couldn't get checked in for hours bc their system was down. They showed complete disregard for passengers bc they made no announcements or apologies! Service was terrible. Dining took forever and the food was mediocre. The staff was much to be desired. A far cry from the hospitality shown on prior cruises. Icey Straits is a bogus port. There's absolutely nothing there. Just a rest stop for NCL. Ketchikan could have been great had we been able to dock in town like all the other cruise lines but we had to get on a bus and take a 15-20 ride into town, rush to stand in ridiculous freaking lines that stretched blocks long to get back on the bus for another 15 minute drive. The line took over an hour! Ports were short and rushed bc most time was spent in line and on buses. Victoria, CN looked like a great port but we arrived at 8:00 p.m. and once again had long lines and bus rides and only a short time to be there and most places were closed. Nothing they did was easy or efficient for passengers. Expensive excursions including the whale watch and glacier excursion we took and never saw the glacier close up. Passengers would be better off booking port activities on their own. We did not have internet or wifi until Thursday evening on a 7 day cruise from Saturday to Saturday. Add to that their policy of not allowing walkie talkies so we were screwed reaching our family of 14 that we encouraged to take this cruise. Rather embarrassing! What was most frustrating is that we never received an apology. They credited us $50 for a cruise that cost us over $7K for 7 lousy days! If it weren't for the fact that we had already booked and paid for a Mediterranean cruise next year with NCL, we would not take another one with them. Oh and our NCL cruise agent sucks! Calls only when he wants to make money, if he responds at all and takes his time getting back to us. So disappointed! Customer service and getting our money's worth is a company value of the past. read more

Norwegian Cruise Lines - Long lines waiting to get on bus to drive 15-20 minutes back to Norwegian. - Boat Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We are on the last day of our 8 day cruise. we enjoyed the beautiful views of Alaska and all that it has to offer. Our excursions made it all the more better. Lots of time to think and reflect overall I could say that I am glad I took this cruise and would recommend a visit to Alaska by cruise, however, I would suggest going with a cruise line that offers good food if such exist. Room service: good Service is general: good; the crew was entertaining and very attentive. They really lifted spirits with their upbeat vibe. Food (most important): The Manhattan The Ocean Front Savor The local Cheap quality food and was disappointed. The Garden Buffet - I really enjoyed breakfast and looked forward to it. I felt the rest of the food here was ok enough. But disappointed when we went upscale to other restaurants food was poor quality. Multiple days without good food is disappointing and if this is the typical experience of cruises, I will have difficulty looking forward to doing another cruise. read more

June 2022 Seattle WA, pier 66 Party of Tree Alaska 7 day Glacier Bay NCL Encore commissioned in 2019 First time cruising with NCL. Compared to Royal and Carnival NCL felt but more classier and more international with most of the crew from India and Philippines. Everyone was happy being a newer ship. The garden buffet menu changed often and the Indian curries are legit reminded me of my Delhi belly in the summer of 2012. French restaurant was the best value for your specialty dinning. Choir of Man was the highlight show for the whole trip. Alcohol packages is $100 per day but most people had it included in the free at sea promo. You also get 150 minutes of wifi (not fast). I prefer to pay as you go so I will opt out of all packages in future. Plus any premium alcohol you have to pay extra anyways. Balcony Spa Room gives you access to the thermal spa with steam room. I only visited once and the massage price is highly inflated. Spa access can also be purchased for around $300 not worth it imo. NCL has so many extra charges that's why they feed you free alcohol to spend more money. Another con for our 4000 passenger ship is that it docked super far from port compared to other smaller cruise ships. Excursions cost extra and the small boat whale watching at Juneau was a waste of time because you might see a better whale just by staying on the ship for free. I rather get free time to explore the city wish had more time especially to explore Ketchikan (creek street). Pro tip: for NCL Encore deck 8 has plenty of outdoor public seating next to the Gelato store so I rather save $ on a interior room and splurge for ice cream. read more

I'm going on a NCL cruise to Alaska in a week and was just told that I have to pay an additional $700 service fee ($20 pp per day) This is really deceptive marketing. I am very disappointed in NCL. Would not recommend. read more

I just took an Alaskan cruise on the NCL Bliss. Now I took a Mexico cruise on the Bliss in April 2022, and there are a few differences. Pro: We were able to do all our port stops, including Glacier National Park. Six and Jersey Boys were Broadway quality. Most of the specialty restaurants were good. Embrakation and Deparkation was painless. Con: NCL didn't inform the Best of Skagsway/White Pass Railroad tour passengers that Passports would be needed. This led to a long delay leaving and holding up the train as people had to run back onboard to get them. The cutbacks in cabin servicing are noticeable. Not only were your cleanings cut down to once per day, but because there were fewer cabin stewards and assistants, it took much longer. Many times, my room wasn't cleaned till 5 pm. A cold (and I understand Covid) was going around the ship. Guess what they don't sell onboard in the stores? Cold medicine. They want you to go to the ship's doctor and spend hundreds on that. Ketchikan was a transportation mess as the NCL dock is 7 miles away from downtown. In fact, most of the ports had transportation messes with contracted buses trying to charge passengers for trips that were supposed to be free. read more

We sailed to Alaska on the NCL Bliss, 2nd time onboard, loved the Ship. We sailed as upgraded high cost Haven passengers. The service was great except for the menu which was repeated daily, breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the less costly meal service on the ship guests received a different lunch and dinner menu daily. Although the food was prepared well in the Haven dining room the daily same menus became very boring. We have sailed on the comparison MSC Yacht Club where they gave you a différant menu for lunch and dinners read more

Took the Encore to Alaska in 2021. This poem sums up my experience :-) What a year this has been; Pandemic I have never seen Sanitizing every minute I mean; never felt this clean Life in PJs ain't so fun; gotta get up and run Do I hear the ocean call; Get to Alaska this fall A cruise to sail away; To lands far far away. Alaska has many things to see, boy was I a curious bee. Excursions to die for; memories to live for. The final frontier never disappoints; now make those excursion appointments As I look out at sea; a healthy mental dose of vitamin C. A crew that made me smile; made me forget the facsimile. A relaxing bed for nappy nappy; dreams of washy washy I wake up all happy happy; feeling healthy healthy. Decks full of surprises for everyone; And you always get to meet someone. Join friends over alcohol; many I still recall. Fun and games for one and all; tune to Channel 5 to see them all Cool ports of call; spectacular glaciers at the Mendenhall. Encore provides that personal touch; Which I like so very much. A majestic ship that stands tall; with a casino and a shopping mall. With luxury that's beyond compare; the Encore is always there. Sail away from life's misery; The Norwegian experience is an unforgettable mystery. read more

We took the Alaskan Bliss cruise 3 weeks ago. Our first Bliss cruise was to Mexico 2 years ago and it was actually a very good cruise. Unfortunately, we couldn't say the same about this one to Alaska. We have been on 32 cruises and this was our 4th. to Alaska. All on different ships. My comments are more about the ship board experience on the Bliss. As far as the food onboard, we generally do not dine in the specialty restaurants and don't feel it is usually worth the additional high price they charge. Plenty of outstanding restaurants at home. For the included restaurants, the Local was probably the strongest and had some decent choices. One of the biggest complaints about the food, whether it be the dining room or buffet, it was extremely difficult to get anything HOT! Most of the time, food was luke warm at best and many times, what was supposed to be hot was even room temp. I did bring this to the attention of one of the master chefs and also to one of the managers but they didn't seem to be the least bit concerned. This is a real safety health issue and could present a major problem onboard. On our first Bliss cruise, having hot food was not a problem, but this one it was. The food selection or varieties was certainly in need of some help. Too much of the same thing repeated over again and some things really weren't that good either. They are probably trying to get you to go to a specialty restaurant and pay the extra bucks. The chef that makes the deserts/breads/rolls, please!! My sister could do better than that and she isn't a very good baker either. Once in awhile there might be an item that wasn't too bad but that was the exception. We don't like to waste food but there were things that we would only take one bite of and then discard. Hey, how hard would it be to have HOT oatmeal in the morning instead of barely warm??? They really do need to have some work done on their food offerings. We got to know a few of the food servers during the week and they were telling us how much food gets thrown away. Not just food that has not been served but food on peoples plates that does not get eaten. I can see why. The shows weren't too bad but certainly not Vegas quality. Jersey Boys, singing, dancing etc. but this is to be expected on a ship like this. The comedians, were a bit on the lame side and I can't say funny. It's almost as if Norwegian decided to make cuts to their entertainment budget and shop for the cut rate entertainers. Onboard activities were badly in need of updating. Line dancing, lets do the electric slide, the wobble, and the casper slide that we have all been doing for at least the last 20 years. These are taught by one of the crew members but maybe they could get them to learn something new and welcome into this century. The games they play are also in need of some updating. Like the Not So Newlywed game. Some of the questions they were asking really bombed at times, and you could see how uncomfortable the contestants were. Watch The Newlywed Game on YouTube and they can get plenty of ideas for good questions. Most ships are now doing this game and it can be hilarious and fun to watch. The Bliss needs to step it up a bit! Most of these things are going on in the Atrium, which is an open area with limited seating. If you don't get there early, you will probably be standing and how much fun is that?? Not!! You could see from the poor attendance, in comparison to how many people were on the ship, that this was not the place for a lot of people at one time. I guess they have their reasons why they didn't do more in the theater. I will have to say that for the most part, the crew did a very good job through out the ship. If we didn't have many other cruises to compare with, we might think this was a better cruise and some people might even think it was really good. Especially those that seemed to started drinking the moment they got on the ship and didn't stop until they got off. We have no problem at all with those that choose to drink, unless they are drunk and obnoxious. We would probably not go on the Bliss again since there are so many other good choices. We thought this would be a repeat of our previous Bliss cruise but it wasn't. These are just our opinions and actually the opinions of quite a few other couples we met on this cruise. This was not an amazing cruise as stated in this video. I recommend that everyone check out reviews on CruiseCritic before making their choices for a cruise. We didn't until we got back and then found lots of negative reviews fo read more

I did the Alaskan cruise round trip from Seattle. I had a wonderful time. NCL really outdid themselves in making sure they provided top notch service the entire cruise. I especially enjoyed the great food (buffet), attentive service and many fun off boat excursions. I definitely have plans to book another cruise with NCL. read more

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Norwegian Sun ship is problematic. First of all, a lot of the food was pretty bad. The buffet was very mediocre, while the food at the Mexican restaurant was completely inedible. The room service food menu was very small and also not that tasty. The Italian and general evening restaurants were pretty good though. The drinks were mainly OK, not great. While the ship was refurbished in 2021, it looks like they didn't update the satellite internet system. The internet didn't work for most of the cruise, and when it did, the speed was incredibly slow. Often it was impossible to even check your e-mail. You get only 300 minutes of internet for the entire cruise (you have to explicitly press the "log-out" buttons even if you are not using the internet). Make sure to check your internet charges at the end of the cruise - we got random over-charging and extra plans that we didn't purchase on our bill, that we had to talk to guest services to cancel. The staff is very friendly, but it seems like some of the chefs need retraining. read more

Took our 4th NCL cruise, this time out of Seattle, for a 7 day Alaska trip in late October. It was the last cruise of the Alaska season, and there were some wonderful things about it, and some not so good things. Cruising with NCL is one of those vacations where if you plan ahead, one can save quite a bit. I think this was the trip with the most savings, and it turned out well (luck was involved because of the beautiful sunny weather and very calm seas...which is random on an Alaskan cruise). ++ Value: -- able to use 2 CruiseNext certificates to pay $500 of our dual cruise. One buys these certificates at the time of a previous cruise at face value, and are transferrable (got these from my brother). They are good up to 4 years after purchase, and will usually get you half the value in on-board ship credit (e.g. if you bought 4 certificates, one would get $500 in on-board ship credits. -- going through Costco travel as our agent, we got all daily gratuities included (a $280 value for the two of us on a 7 day cruise), a $120 costco cash card (ours came via email right when we finished our cruise), and a non-refundable $25 onboard credit (which we used on additional tips for ship crew). ++ Freebies via promotions. NCL rack rates and discounts are not as great as their competitors, but they make up for it via their Free at Sea Cruise Deals (not valid for their lowest level rooms) -- Free unlimited bar. If you like beer and hard liquor, this is worth it. You do have to pay for all gratuities which came out to about $300 for the two of us on a 7 day cruise. It doesn't include the highest end alcohol or bottles of wine, but it includes all brands of beer (they have a large selection throughout the ship) and mid-level hard liquor (e.g. Johnny Walker Black would be included). We chose not to do it this time, but had it for our 14 day Panama Canal, and it was used well in the tropical weather. -- 150 minutes of internet. This ship had Starlink, and the speed difference between our previous experience was noticable. -- 2 visits to specialty restaurants. You do need to pay for tips up front, but we've found that this is worth it. -- free airfare for 2nd passenger, $50 off of shore excursions. This is a case where if the base price is very poor value, then any sort of discount is still not good value. You can find better airfare on your own, and the shore excursions are badly overpriced. -- Crowds -- No getting around the observation that this cruise was very crowded. It was at full capacity and the outside areas were not useable because of the cold weather, everyone was inside. This made most common areas pretty much 'bumper to bumper', and made us want to stay inside our balcony room a lot. It was really noticeable on the elevators...had to wait a LONG time and often the elevators were too full so you had to keep on waiting. The buffet was also very crowded throughout, not just for breakfast on port days. The ship was definitely planned for warm weather cruises. -- ship sponsored excursions. -- I've found them to be a rip-off at other cruises, and this time was no different. But the problem on this cruise was that the port times were so short in many cases, I didn't want to risk a self-planned excursion...cause if you are late, they will leave you behind. -- Non consistent (even non-PCI) Payment processing -- one of our ship excursions was canceled even before we got on the boat, It is expected that these get paid beforehand, so I expected it to be refunded back the same way...that's the expectation of PCI rules. Instead, they put it on the on-board ship credit without asking. So I went on the 3rd day to the help desk, to ask for a refund since I knew I wasn't going to have any charges (since the daily gratuity was already taken care of). I was told rudely that it wasn't allowed, and I had to wait till the last day of the cruise to come back, stand in a long line, to get the refund. When I asked 'WHY', she blamed it on the ship systems not being able to handle it(yeah...IT gets blamed for everything). It ended up fine...I did come back the last day, stood in line, and promptly got my money back...but it's just a stupid trick that NCL does to keep our money for the longest time (and promote us spending it on something before we leave the ship). This left a really sour taste and was one of the main things I'll remember. read more