Been on over 12 cruises among NCL, Royal, Carnival, and Princess. Wife and I were very excited for this Alaska adventure and I was eager to see how NCL did with the Bliss. Overall, it was a tremendous vacation and the ship was beautifully done.

Ship

A very different experience than the layout of Royal's more recent ships. Aside from the observation lounge, there was no big "wow" on board. No major central area or otherwise unique design that blows you away. However, everything was impeccably decorated, it was incredibly clean, and the attention to detail was tremendous. From the dark wood colors used in the staterooms, the artwork in the cabin hallways, the choice of furniture all over the ship, to the decorations in the bars and various venues, NCL paid great attention to detail. It gives the feel of a luxurious ship, more so than any ship I have ever experienced. And with a megaship, especially after reading previous reviews, I was very worried about feeling crowded. For us however, we never felt that was the case. With 30 bars (brew house, observation lounge, maltings, and cavern were some of our favorites) and tons of dining areas and other small venues, there were tons of nooks and crannies to escape to. As with any ship, one of the keys is avoiding peak times, whether it be activities or food. If you did this, the ship felt downright intimate. Read more