We sail on Norwegian out of Manhattan because it is very convenient. However, The Bliss seemed to have too many people for the facilities on the ship. The main areas were always crowded with people. There was congestion around the elevators, difficulty finding a table at the buffet, not enough room for the more popular attractions in the Atrium. Guests were actually moving chairs from the meeting rooms and library because of lack of seating. The embarkation and disembarkation were poorly organized. The Observation Lounge was very nice and a good gathering spot but seats were at a premium because it was the only quiet area inside. We enjoyed the Texas Smokehouse restaurant and the country western band although there was not much of a dance floor. The Chocolate bar in the buffet was delicious on the few occasions it was available. The photographers did not push for taking photos. Some of the cruise director’s staff were very good but others made up their own rules for the games and even became a little snippy with the guests about it. And, of course, the pattern of fish on the hallway carpeting showing direction was a real plus. There were two outstanding shows during the cruise, Six and Jersey Boys. They were two of the best performances we have ever had on our cruises. However, the shows definitely had to be booked prior to the cruise to be assured of a seat. There was a long line each performance in the Standby line. Not everyone could get in to see the show, again, too many people for the facilities on board. The first day ballroom dancing was on the schedule, quite a few people arrived to find a dance floor packed with chairs and no one around to remedy the situation. Once the floor was cleared, it was a fun experience that a good crowd enjoyed. However, the next time it was scheduled, the floor was so sticky that it was extremely difficult to dance and many of the people left. The third time the dance floor had not improved even after complaining for 3 days about the conditions and the crowd dwindled. After that there was no more ballroom dancing scheduled. On the night of the 70’s party at H2O, the floor was wet and that made for treacherous conditions. Sugercane drew a lot of people for Latin dancing but the dance area was small and even more restricted with the addition of tables on the dance floor. We visited Guest Services on a few occasions and, at times, they were not very helpful or not knowledgeable and, in fact, made a mistake on my account that took 5 more trips and a supervisor and the supervisor’s supervisor to straighten out. As the cruise went on and the problems multiplied, some of the little things started to become annoying. There were onions in everything in the buffet, the mini gold course had no clubs or balls available, there were no salt and pepper shakers or sugar on the tables but just a few days before the cruise ended they magically appeared. On other cruise lines there are precooked fried eggs available at the buffet to cut the wait time at the omelet stations. I really missed that. The Norwegian Bliss is a pleasant looking ship but definitely not a lot of pizzazz there. The theater was nondescript but the performances made up for that. Norwegian had an onboard app that I found was not very useful. All in all, the Norwegian Bliss was not one of my favorite cruise choices. However, some of the crew gave us exceptional service: Komang Pariana - (Waiter in the Q) Kind and thoughtful, he went overboard in being helpful to us and was sure to stop by and greet we each time we visited the Q. Priscilla Mupfururi - (Hostess in the Q) Smiling and personable, she kept us country all during the cruise by giving us tables in the Q close to the dance floor each night. Oscar Aranas - (Room Steward) Hard working and efficient. He kept us comfortable and supplied us with everything we needed for our room. Garmo Gaye - (Greeter at Garden Café) A beautiful, happy person. If everyone could be greeted each morning as happily as Gamo did for us, the world would be a better place. Didia - (Maitra D in Cagneys) Concerned and friendly, she always stopped to talk a while. Even when on her way to clean up late at night. Rico SaFranca Hermaso - (Waiter in Manhattan) Considerate and pleasant, he even went out of his way to get a special salad for our group each night. Made dining pleasurable. Darlyn Melendres - (Assistant waiter in Manhattan) With a sweet smile and gentle manner, she was always in the background waiting to be of service. Read Less

I had to use a scooter on this trip Cabin 8116 mini suite was behind a heavy fire door and I had to wait until someone came to open door so I could get to my cabin, The winds across balcony made it usable two nights I could not sleep because the chairs keep banging into each other. I was waiting for one to go over the side. Service at the buffet was non existed for a handicap person. The staff was too busy wiping down tables then to offer you a glass of water. The music on the ship was the worst I have ever encountered. Most of the singers could not hold a note. Jersey Boys was great. So if you have any kind of handicap and want to be treated as a second class citizen this is the cruise for you. You need better customer service training for staff Read Less

I am writing this aboard the Norwegian bliss 14 days out of New York to the Caribbean I had booked this is very last minute the day before Sailing and I booked an inside Guarantee but when I got to the ship terminal Around 12 o’clock they could not find any cabin for me so basically I sat in the terminal until 4 o’clock when they finally found me a cabin. Even though I paid for an inside cabin I accepted a lesser cabin of a studio that came available it’s laid out nicer than the inside cabins but it’s only for one person. I’ve probably been on 50 different cruises and the ship is new and beautiful. It will take me two weeks to see the entire ship. There’s no shortage of things to do or see and they’re certainly ready and able to take your money at every corner and nickel and dime you to death. This time of year it’s mostly older middle-class people from the United States Canada and elsewhere. Not too many kids which is a good thing. As I’m writing this on the evening of day 2, I have numerous complaints some are life-threatening. This morning when I got up I walked down the hall and by the time I got to the end I couldn’t breathe started coughing and my eyes were running in my nose was running so I came back to the cabin and lay down and it took me about two hours before I could breathe again-As it turns out they spray some sort of anti-flu spray disinfectant in the air and I breathed in a good amount of it. I would probably be dead if I had asthma or COPD so be warned this could happen to you. Hopefully they won’t do that again on the floor that I’m staying. Told them if they did I’d be off in the 1st port with my bags. I did not buy the drink package I’m not a big drinker and since I’m by myself I don’t want to eat into any specialty restaurant but they all look really really good I’ve just been eating at the buffet since I’m a vegetarian and there’s something for everyone but the Indian food is excellent. . It’s the evening of day three and I’m very tired of being nickeled and dime to death for every thing. It’s highly recommended to take the packages and drinks Internet and anything else that you can get in advance. Hopefully for free. The person in the cabin next to me has a noro virus -she’s been projectile vomiting and is quarantine to her cabin hopefully I won’t get sick. The casino slot machines don’t pay off very much and there are many bad blackjack players- I am done. Really done. At this point I really wish that I would’ve just gone to Mexico instead. You can’t get into the comedy shows you can’t get in the Beatles shows -The seating venue is too small. . people outside come out early and put a towel in there flip-flops on a chair you cant get near the pool. On a positive note food inside the dining room is excellent the waiters are great and they are very accommodating that much I do have to say. They should have maps of the local islands or places that you visit instead of just trying to sell you expensive excursions if you just want to spend the day at the beach unless you have time to do extensive research in advance you won’t know where to go in the taxi drivers will rip you off. You can get the maps when you get off the ship and go to the information desk at the ports by that time it’s a little late. Some islands I’m familiar with it and I know that they have local bus service but not all of them do. They should also be warnings about some of the islands are dangerous. Exercise common sense and caution when you’re out. Now I don’t smoke but there’s only two areas on the whole ship that you can smoke and that’s on deck 17 at the disco area outside or in the casino in the smoking area which is sick with aggressive cigarette smoke. Be prepared to be woken up at all times of the day and night by selfish passengers slamming their doors drawers and bathroom doors in such close quarters you would think that people would have the common sense and decency to close their doors gently but no. The staff and crew work particularly hard to try to make you happy with whatever they can- They work long hours and try to keep a positive attitude and a smile on their face eight months on two months off year around. So try to be kind to them they’re away from their families for long periods of time and I’m sure that Norwegian doesn’t pay them very much out of the gratuities that they take from us each day so maybe leave them a little extra- All the ports in the Caribbean to the south that we have been to so far are beautiful but quite expensive- Saint Martin on the french side is still disaster area from the hurricane a few years back most of the restaurants and shops are closed. Very sad see see that. Mostly on the French side. Saint Thomas is nice as usual I always go to Sapphire beach it’s gorgeous quiet beach and not a lot of people know about it and you could take the local bus there for two dollars. 25 minutes away. Hidden behind condos with a small restaurant and bar on the beach. Lots of trees to lay under. clear warm water. Saint Kitts was very enjoyable again just went to the beach on a local bus the people are so nice and kind and there’s hardly any crime there. I’m really surprised that they took us into Puerto Rico with all the earthquakes that of been happening there and again they’re still in recovery mode and also had another earthquake the day after we were there. The cruise ship terminals Have outdoor mall’s before you enter the ships- they are all overpriced shops with junk and jewelry basically overpriced-if they didn’t get you for enough money on the ship itself. These places are set up to look like the towns but that is not them it’s just another way of extorting money from you with overpriced restaurants and junky T-shirt shops. Please buy elsewhere and support the locals on the islands you visit!! Once again I hope you like to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning because that’s the time that people start slamming the doors so make sure you get to bed early. . I went to see the musical “six” so far that’s been the highlight of the entire cruise really fabulous high energy great music I’ll probably go see it again if I could. Does require reservations at the theater was 3/4 empty when I went. Several people on board are under quarantine possibly the flu or worse and now you can’t touch anything they took away everything including the salt and pepper shakers and they had to serve you any food that you wanted in the buffet you could not touch anything even get your own coffee they had to handle everything and is continued throughout the cruise- Today we were in St. Lucia and these cabdrivers are very aggressive trying to get your business to take you on a tour of the island or to the beach but if you want to go to the beach there’s actually one within walking distance it was Viggi beach. No water sports no other passengers-just peace Quiet beautiful water and a great little restaurant and bar. Went to St. Lucia before and it has some gorgeous beaches but they never leave you alone wanna comes to trying to sell you things on the beach and I just want to rest and swim. Its really great choice. Barbados is also gorgeous with beautiful incredible beaches very close to the port. .Barbados was by far the best beach and easiest to get to Carlisle Beach absolutely crystal clear water and beautiful. -If you want to eat food after 9:30 pm the only thing is the local at the 24 hour restaurant but all I wanted was a small piece of carrot cake to go and they refused to allow it what kind of a crazy place is this I don’t know but I will tell you that Ncl will nickel in dime you beyond death. . Will be my last cruise with Norwegian. I’ve experienced problem after problem on board and not one thing was done to make things right. Last day in Port we were in St. John Antigua it’s OK not too bad the sun was shining in the sea was blue although not clear at Jolly Beach it was six dollars each way and that included a chair with an umbrella not a bad deal. On a more serious note the ship left six passengers behind yesterday they were 30 minutes late getting back to the ship and they left without them they had no passports with them I would imagine that they were told to get in touch with the port agent in Barbados and they probably had to fly to the next port on a small seaplane who knows all I know that they’re dead serious leaving on time -do not be late under any circumstances getting back to the ship allow for traffic!. Change your clocks to ships time! Now three full days at sea-This is Terrible for me I should’ve gotten off the ship in Barbados and flown home. The woman in the next cabin is out of her mind slamming the doors slamming the doors all times of the day or night and just keeps getting more and more aggressive I’m not sure what to do except do it back to her and then I would disturb the passengers around me- security already spoken to her and there’s nothing that can be done and they have no cabins available. Also emergency Announcements of all sort come to through to the loudspeaker in your cabin, Some at 1 o’clock in the morning. Well this is the last day of our cruise and third sea day in a row. I guess that emergency announcement at 1 AM was a woman stabbed her husband to death last night. Pretty grim news she’s in the brig and he’s in the morgue. I’m sure the police will be waiting for her as we disembark in New York in the morning. On a lighter note I went to see Jersey boys last night do not miss it it’s one of the best shows you’ll ever see true Broadway production! That’s about it I’ve mostly stayed to myself and enjoyed what little peace and quiet that I could find in a little corner is here in there. It never got overly rough on board the ship has great stabilizers so unless you’re very sensitive you probably won’t get seasick.. On a final note don’t bother buying bottled water on board I think it’s about between three and five dollars and it’s not worth it there’s a desalinization plant on board and all the water comes from the ocean and you could fill up your bottle at any spigot and it’s purified ocean water and it’s perfectly fine if not better than bottled water. Be prepared to be ripped off-everywhere!! Whatever you paid for the cruise you will spend at least that much on board with that you know it or not. Download the app and be mindful of your daily consumption. Read Less

I’ve been cruising with ncl for ten years but I have to say some of the island’s we we visited left a lot to be desired Puerto Rico was a mess absolutely nothing to do in it st kitts was filthy with nothing but hundreds of taxi drivers hassling you everywhere you go Bliss is a beautiful ship with very good headliner acts but the entertainment in the smaller venues was terrible it was very difficult to find anything on after midnight My party ate in Los Lobos which I had been looking forward to for quite a while but it was a total let down the food other than the quesadilla was terrible not one of our party eat their whole meal .my brother had a dining package but was charged for one of his meals and it took three visits to guest services to get it put right Another bug bear of mine is people who think the cruise is for them only and go out first thing in the morning put towels over chairs and then get off the ship guaranteeing a good seat when they get back ncl put notices up but don’t do anything about it We were three days at sea before our first stop and the weather wasn’t great the first couple of days so I expected ncl to put a lot more entertainment on during the day Now for the race track and laser tag they should unbolt it an take them away you can walk faster than the go karts go an I never seen anyone using laser tag I’ve been on quite a few ncl cruises and everyone was memorable I just think that their cutting back on things to keep costs down and that could be the reason I try another cruise line Read Less

I was so looking forward to this 14 day Southern Caribbean cruise out of New York. First the good. The ship is beautiful. Our cabin steward Guilson was amazing. That’s about where it ends. I was one of those fools who bid on and paid for an upgrade to a spa mini suite. Having experienced the thermal spa before, I knew we would spend time there. So even though my bid was on the higher end, I was still excited when it was accepted. So we were moved from cabin 15760 a mini suite to 15780 a mini spa suite. Don’t get me wrong, I love the shower and access to the thermal spa. What I don’t love is the incessant thumping and pounding from the pool deck above where they seem to have most of their nightly entertainment. When I was on the breakaway last year, the entertainment was held in spice h20, which I believe was above the garden cafe...not staterooms that cost over 3500 per person. Evening entertainment in the atrium is lacking as well with one band playing there most nights. Where are the game shows? The fun audience participation games? We’ve had 2 of those so far and we’re already on day 10. And I’ve spoken with other people on the ship who feel the same way. Thank goodness for the specialty meal package because otherwise the food is repetitive. The staff on the ship is lovely. As I said the ship is beautiful, but this vacation has been less than blissful. Maybe I need to experience another breakaway class or even a jewel class cruise to make me love cruising again. Read Less

Too many people for the number of elevators always a wait, long walk from cabins to elevators. Exits are long walk for elderly cruisers. Add on charges for service costly upcharges for drinks etc, Prices for drinks limits the number of drinks people order. Drink package options very poor, drinks costly with add on service charges and gradtuity Long walk for elderly On board entertainment limited show times not popular Staff friendly, very hardworking helpful and respectful even under stressful conditions We have been loyal NCL cruisers for over 20 years up untill this cruise we never felt we were being taken advantage of I think the time has come for us to try other cruise lines. The design of the Bliss is not user friendly, We have cruised on the Breakaway several times with less problems getting to a stairway and elevator. We have come to the point that bigger is not always better when it comes to cruise ships. Read Less

We choose this cruise due to the port location (no flights for us) and the deal we got at time of booking. Have cruised with NCL many times before but have never dealt with such crowds everywhere on the ship at all times. Bigger is not always better. Ship: The ship itself is a beautiful ship. There are only 2 banks of elevators on this ship located forward and aft-none in the middle of the ship and the wait for an elevator was ridiculous to the point where people became very rude trying to get on the elevator cutting in line, pushing people out of the way, jamming themselves into packed elevators, etc. The Observation Lounge was beautiful, but out of 14 days we were able to get a seat one time our whole cruise. I was never able to get a lounge chair by the pool at all. On deck 8 there were couches and chairs that I was able to get a seat each day. Lots of kids on the cruise which we weren't expecting in January. Cabin: We had a mini suite forward on Deck 11 which was a good location-cabin rooms above and below us and near the elevators. Advice-the mini suite itself was no bigger than a balcony room-the extra room is in the bathroom area, so if the size of the bathroom doesn't matter to you -you might want to pay a lower price for a balcony room. I didn't feel our room had a lot of storage. One closet with 4 shelves, 2 suitcases went under the bed. Room was clean, room steward did a good job, shower didn't drain well, so by the end of the shower you were standing ankle deep in water. Dining: Buffet extremely crowded at all times. Never could get a table inside of the dining area but caught on that the tables outside on the deck near the pool were always available. Mostly had lunch at the buffet and the food was very good. The main dining rooms had very slow service, food was good. Cagney's was very good, Ocean was excellent, Q was very good, Le Bistro ok, La Cucina didn't like at all. I would not pay extra to eat in any of the specialty dining areas, but since we had 7 dinners included we tried them. As long as you keep in mind that dinner in each place is approx. a 2 hour event you will be fine. If you are in a hurry, I suggest you eat at the buffet or at Local. Local is where we ate breakfast most days as the dining rooms were long lines and slow service in the mornings. Entertainment: We enjoyed almost all of the shows. Jersey Boys was great, Six was ok, Beatles were very good. Went to a show every night and enjoyed the variety. What I didn't like was the line to get into a reserved show such a Jersey Boys. People started lining up 1 hour ahead of when the theatre opens and the line ended up blocking off a whole bank of elevators. Then for those of us waiting in the long line, the elevators would open, people would get off and jump in line cutting off those of us who had been waiting. Same for people lining up on the stairs- no effort from ship employees to regulate the lines or restore some kind of order-resulting in passengers yelling at each other about cutting the line-it was ridiculous! Service-we received excellent service from all of the employees on board. All we dealt with were polite, helpful, and very pleasant. Ports and Shore Excursions: We don't normally use the ship shore excursions, but since we received credit to use for booking ones, we tried one in each port and enjoyed each one we took. What I didn't like is they try to get you to book online or using their app to avoid long lines on the ship, so I did, but as a Platinum member I was supposed to get 10% off each tour and the only way to get that is to go the Shore Excursions desk, so even though I booked on the app, I still then had to go stand in line to get my 10% off. Spa: the spa was quite expensive, but the last day of the cruise, they had several specials for $99 so only used the spa on the last day of the cruise and of course had to deal with them trying to sell me a $1,000 worth of products at the end. Overall we enjoyed the cruise, but I for one, will never go on a ship this big again as it did not seem prepared to deal with number of people the ship holds. There was a lot we didn't get to experience due to the long lines of people and then getting cut off because the venue had reached capacity. Embarkation and Debarkation took about an 1 1/2 from start to finish. Would much rather go back on the Escape, Getaway, and Epic. Read Less

We had been on an NCL cruise and stayed in the Haven ( Gem) and twice in a regular mini suite ( Breakaway and Pearl). For us, the Haven is the only way we would go on NCL. We live in the NY Metro area so driving a half hour to the ship is a terrific perk. This two week cruise was an easy choice and getting a nice discount from the casino ( NCL is very generous) helped lower the price. I will start with the Pros: The Bliss is a very large brand new beautiful clean ship. The Haven is fabulous. the Haven restaurant is the best food on the ship by far. There is an in Haven elevator that goes from 17th floor to 19th ( the sundeck). Le Bistro is a close second as long as you have plenty of time and don't order the chewy veal. We ate in Cagney and La Cucina and they are not worth it. In the Haven the shrimp cocktail, rib lamb chops, French dip roast beef sandwich and Frito Misto are excellent. Hanno, the Conceirge and Qi his assistant were fantastic. They printed my husband's crossword out each day. We booked all our specialty restaurants and the two main shows as soon as possible before boarding but if you don't, they have priority on first day to try to get you reservations. We ended up not seeing SIX as there were mixed reviews but enjoyed Jersey Boys very much and went twice. The rest of the entertainment was comedy ( Rodney Laney was very funny ) And a Beatles band that was well received even tho they were from Argentina (odd) and had no personality. To my surprise there were a few kids on the ship ( pulled out of school?) who were very noisy at the Haven pool so we went up to the 16+ sundeck. You can order lunch from the downstairs bar ( hot dogs, burgers, chicken wrap, great onion rings, drinks) and they will be delivered upstairs ) the servers are friendly and kind ( bring a few fives to tip them as they deserve it. The big Horizon observation lounge at the front of the Haven was fantastic except they insisted on playing jazz while you were trying to relax or read. They have some treats and coffee there. The ports were nice, especially Costa Maya. Cons: the cabin we had was a Courtyard Penthouse suite. It was anything but. One very small room with a bathtub shower combo that was dangerous to step out of, A shower that ran hot and cold on and off while you were in it. No lounge on the balcony even tho there was room and a terrible mattress that our butler replaced after three days. The pillows are terrible. We ordered 12 bottles of water as it's not included in the room or beverage package. Inadequate storage. Laundry was good. Room not made up until almost 11 then after 8. A few free movies. Not enough sports for my husband. The rest of the ship was crowded beyond belief and the elevators a nightmare. After entertainment or the casino I couldn't wait to get back to the Haven. Most people were very unhappy. People with walkers/wheel chairs were treated terribly at the elevators with one young woman announcing that she was tired of the old people hogging the elevators and was going back to Carnival. I hope she does. People who took cheaper true suites in the back of the ship but had Haven privileges said it wasn't worth the savings because they had to use the regular elevators. I would go from New York again but not on such a large ship Read Less

My family has sailed on NCL 7 times, the last 6 in The Haven. Once you stay there, it's hard to go back downstairs. We have been on other cruise lines but have become loyal to NCL. The NCL Bliss was absolutely beautiful and well appointed. We have been on other NCL ships but this was my favorite of their large ships. Do not miss spending time in the Observation Lounge, it is heaven with food, drink, and peaceful alcoves to read, rest, and relax! The Haven areas were wonderful with plenty of comfortable sitting and great service. Also, if you are a Beatles fan, the Beatles Experience tribute band is fantastic! We saw Six and Jersey Boys in the theatre and they were both top notch shows. Book before you get on the ship or you may miss out. We went on the zipline excursion in Roatan (Honduras) that was amazing. The guides are very good and ease your anxieties (I was nervous at first). Great views with 11 lines of varying length and altitudes. I finally got to check something off my bucket list! My only complaint was that throughout the ship the staff seemed to be working double time to cover their areas, which caused some lag time in receiving food, drinks, and services. I guess that is just a given in the current downsizing trend in every sector of industry. Read Less

We are a family of five on Deck 5 and went with four additional friends who stayed on Deck 10. We considered ourselves typically non-complainers and easy going for what it's worth. It was easy to notice many complainers on the ship, more than we've ever seen on any other type of vacation. Needless to say, this was our family's first cruise and I placed a deposit with CruiseNext, and super excited to sail again. Keep in mind I pretty much prepared and researched before hand, so embarking from Manhattan was certainly a breeze and better then anticipated. We paid the $400 to park at terminal and would do it again for convenience. We drove from Montreal so this definitely beats costs with flying to FL for our family of five. Everything was clear and well guided through the terminal from parking, to check-in and then up the ramps to the ship. Ship layout was great, I averaged 16K steps a day just on the ship. Elevators were always packed, but we learned to use the aft elevators which were less busy and worth the extra steps to get there. Service, food, ship layout was enjoyable to take in for 14-days. Splash Club was great with our kids. Our kids enjoyed going to the club and met friends whom they stayed connected with. We partied at the Social club almost every night - because we're Montrealers and that's what we do. Ship cleanliness was superb. My wife bought new shoes in Cape Canaveral and she only wore it around the ship. I kid you not, the white soles on her shoes had no dirt or signs of use - they were clean and white as a ghost! She could return them to the store without any notice of usage. That was impressive, as you can see staff working around the clock keeping the ship clean and sanitized. WASHY WASHY in full effect! We enjoyed the pool deck and water slides / splash pad. We ate our Garden Cafe buffet food by the pool deck daily with tables always available despite being a full ship. We did not find it overcrowded on most days except the last sea day. There's plenty of areas to find "your own space" throughout the full capacity ship. We thought the cruise directors and activities were fun, funny and entertaining with no complaints. Port excursions were fine and had ample enough time to enjoy as first timers. The waterfront was our favorite spot and surprised how people miss this area to get away from all the buzz from time to time. Observation Lounge was awesome with bar and food servings, also with Cristie the piano player sounded amazing... but our only complaint was how people were hijacking the seating areas. Yes, we knew it was a popular area - but easily can be irritating and cause rage to many who hunt for seats. Not the Bliss' fault by any means, I mean like when you see some rest a book on one side of a lounger sofa and their reading glasses on the other end - boggles my mind. Garden Cafe was our daily go-to, and we did frequent to dining rooms and specialty dining restaurants enough times. Food was great, and we appreciated all the offerings which were plenty. We heard complaints about the lack of seafood in buffet, but didn't bother for us. We really enjoyed Beau, the piano player in Brewery District and eventually became friends by the end of our trip. Be sure to check him out and tell him his Montreal "tractor" friends referred ya! (inside joke which will help identify) Our room steward Rene was on point, courteous and did a fantastic job daily with up-keeping / turn-downing our room. Disembarkation was easy at each port, tendering in Great Stirrup Cay was bumpy and fun. Starbucks was rarely busy, and I was able to use my mobile app to pay for drinks. I had the buffalo wings daily at Local's Pub - I miss those wings. Chris in the Sugar Cane Bar was the best and took well good care of us...the Ginger Mojito is to die for! But overall no complaints on waiting for drinks at any bar. Six and Jersey Boys were awesome, Broadway quality performances in the Bliss Theatre. Brenda at Guest Services was awesome whenever we needed assistance, and skillful when we saw her resolve and subdue other passenger complaints. Go-Karts and Laser Tag was great, although we were satisfied with one-time visits. Our daughter had the arcade pass and was able to share with our two other kids, that was a great value which they enjoyed. We know there are different sizes of ships for everyone, for us first-timers the Bliss was perfect in every way. We definitely would like to cruise on the Bliss again, if not perhaps the Encore or Epic but for now we're into the Mega Ships for family getaways. Read Less

We like 14 day Carib cruises out of NYC so this year sailed the Bliss. Great cruise and good staff. We had a standard balcony cabin with plenty of room for the two of us. Nice ship with lots of bars and comfy lounges - beer pub, whiskey bar, wine bar and others. We really enjoyed the fun and attentive bar staff at Maltings. Most of the (20 or so) beers on draft in the pub are IPAs but they have a wide selection in bottles as well. General dining restaurants were fine - standard fare, nothing special - but specialty restaurants really good. Buffet was great - better quality food than the general dining (hotter, more variety, very nicely prepared and presented). The only 'complaint' is that there is too much salt added to food thoughout. We don't use salt at home, so really notice it. Anyone on the typical American take-out diet probably wouldn't notice.We didn't participate in any of the 'activities' like bingo or quiz shows but tey had some good entertainment. the 'Beatles' group was standing room only at every show - they needed a bigger venue! They had a rock/pop band who did a good job, and the 'Jersey Boys' was a great performance. There was live music in moist lounges (District Brew House, Mojito bar, atrium and observation lounge) but we like a quieter life so didn't go. The observation lounge was a great place to get a comfy chair and snack. Tried the shore excursions for snorkeling but they were a bit disappointing. Snorkeling was cancelled in Belize due to high wind (too much chop for the boats to take a crowd to the reef). Grand Cayman has great snorkeling sites. Why that captain took us where he did is a mystery and was disappointing - we tendered to the dock, walked 1/2 mile to another boat, which took us right back in front of where the Bliss was moored and we snorkeled a nearly barren bit of reef and ship right there. They also didn't have enough equipment to suit everyone on board. Cozumel also has great snorkeling sites, but don't go to Chakanaab for that. Chakanaab is a great reserve/park with a nice beach, don't go there for the snorkeling. They had enough equipment for everyone, but some of it was faulty - torn masks that didn't seal, etc. In future cruises I'll contact a reputable dive shop to arrange a snorkel (or dive) excursion. Read Less

This was our 11th cruise on NCL. We chose it because we wanted to do a full transit of the canal. First off, the cruise was 20 days. We booked a port balcony cabin on deck 10 somewhat forward. This was our third time on the Gem, a ship we really like because it has excellent public spaces (Spinnaker lounge, outdoor fantail dining, promenade deck) that the larger NCL ships don’t seem to have. The GEM feels bigger inside than the Breakaway class ships. The cabin was fine although 20 days tended to make it feel smaller as the cruise wore on. Normally, we expect NCL to provide consistently good dining. The complimentary restaurants were pretty decent and, occasionally, were excellent. The issue we had was with Cagneys: On both our visits, they couldn’t properly cook a filet mignon to medium rare. The results ranged from completely uncooked in the center to overcooked and dry. And, for the first time ever in a steakhouse we were asked to cut into the filet to check if it was properly cooked. Clearly, their chef was having problems. Strangely, the two meals we had in Le Bistro (we ordered the file de boeuf au cinq poivres, we like filet!) were perfect. We had one meal at the Asian restaurant, The Orchid, which was underwhelming. As for entertainment, the show band (drums, keys, sax, trumpet, bass and trombone) was outstanding. Playing in various forms (trio, quartet, etc.) they never failed to impress. Jack Brady, the piano playing songman was worked hard by the cruise director. The poor guy played three to four sets per night, night after night and it clearly was wearing him out. We saw one production show, a tribute to swing that was excellent. The first comedian was okay until he told a deeply offensive joke (that reinforced a dangerous stereotype) that made us feel very uncomfortable and we left. The staff was almost uniformly excellent. Service was solid and, often, very friendly and personal. We were disappointed that the shore excusions staff, at times, seemed to have limited knowledge about some of the ports. As for going ashore, there is no escaping the fact that many of the ports visited are in some of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and it is hard to be carefree when you see how difficult the life is for the people. Santa Marta, Colombia, for example, is overrun with Venezuelan refugees who desperately need to sell you whatever they can to survive. A sidewalk cafe meal was a non-stop effort to say no to everything from fake Cuban cigars to impromptu unwanted rap performances. We took a few low-effort shore excursions. One honorable mention goes to the Up Close Whale Watching by Zodiac in Cabo San Lucas run by Cabo Tours. Our captain Bernardo was outstanding. He was friendly and engaging and his ability to find whales bordered on the supernatural. We got over 13 sightings with some as close as 15 yards from the boat. Overall, it was a good cruise. However a few points need to be made. First, 20 days is a long time. The ship becomes a bit confining after a while. Second, some passengers could really use some lessons in common courtesy and decorum. From the guy wearing sweatpants to an elegant restaurant to the guy who thought it was funny when he placed his hand on my wife’s head to steady himself, to the scores of people who bumped, backed into or cut off others without so much as an “excuse me”, we were truly happy to escape the ship on the final day and head off into the woods to get far away from our fellow human beings. To be sure, we met many nice people and the majority of people were fine. But there was far more boorishness on this cruise than on any other that we can remember. Read Less

The boarding process was a bit more tedious than TSA at the airport. We have a small toddler and wanted to relax and welcome the new year doing something fun and new. This was our very first cruise and certainly the last. The food is average and overpriced. They mess up your order EVERY day (room service) and EVERY day you might order the same thing to eat but it will be cooked completely different. If you have a small child there's NOTHING to do. The pool area is tiny and over crowded. But so is the rest of the ship. Not an ideal place to spend family time. The staff cannot be bothered. They just don't care. Honestly with the amount of drunk and rude people on board that wouldn't mind crushing a small child in an elevator I kinda understand why the staff can't be bothered. But it is their job to help you, they will not. The reservations for shore excursions that we made meant NOTHING. We bought things through the app that were NEVER delivered but we were charged for. Disembarking for shore excursions is a complete NIGHTMARE. hours and hours of waiting and angry people piling up because they don't let you out on time. Reserving something off shore only to find out it was given to someone else once you get there. Complaining or asking for your money back won't work. Nobody cares. It is NOT family friendly. it is NOT a good experience. unless you are 21 and single I guess. Read Less

I chose NCL Bliss because I cruised with NCL in the past and had a great time. The last cruise I took was earlier this year on the Royal Caribbean. So, I thought I would give NCL another shot. We were going to hold off on one of the most expensive weeks but, figured it could be fun traveling for on New Years, so we sucked up the added cost. WHAT A DISSAPOINTEMENT. A day before we were asked to delay arrival to the port. We were asked to wait to 1 PM to arrive, for no reason. Whatever, wasn't a big deal to me. I was driving in from Boston anyway. When we finally arrive after our 3 hour road trip, get through the craziness of check-in we were ready to start our vacation. Once on ship, we headed straight to the bar and were greeted with a "yeah" from the bartender. If "Welcome Aboard" was too much "What can I get ya?" would've sufficed. I let it go at that point, it was early on the vacation and figured he might be overwhelmed with crowd. NOPE, that is the service we got at throughout the ship. With the exception of The Local. The Local was exceptional. The specialty dinning was also good but, we technically paid extra for the service. Turns out.. the cruise before us got ill, and it effected a good chunk of the staff. Therefore, the staff we were with were most likely overworked which left us with subpar service. Beside the service, beware that if you pay for a beverage package that does not include everything. For instance, if you want coffee from Starbucks, a particular liquor, or EVEN WATER, you won't be covered. That's right, WATER. Once aboard and after I learned water is not included.. I ventured to find 6 bottles or so for my room. I had to travel to multiple bars to ask where to get some. Literally, I went to restaurant after restaurant looking for water. Pathetic. Finally, I was given a order form for water. I ordered 32 bottles of water for a mere $52 dollars. Ugh. (Royal does not do this. Your drink package not only includes WATER but coffee from Starbucks.) Our days at sea was subpar. Actually quite boring... The first day aboard I went straight to book dinning, shows, and onboard excursions (like laser tag, bumper cars, ect…) But, they were all BOOKED, for the ENTIRE week. I could understand not getting the times or days you would like but, nothing..at all...for the entire week?... Ugh. So. that left days at sea quite boring. I mean how many games of bingo (that you pay $40 a card for min). can you play? Other than the shows the little trivia and "game shows" in the atrium became tiresome. Especially since it became overcrowded due to lack of entertainment throughout the ship. Stirrup Cay, looked beautiful from afar. However, once ashore it was an overcrowded disaster. Literally people fist fought for a chair. Talk about cabin fever. There was no seating whatsoever. And if you were hungry...enjoy a burger, or hotdog from a tray that is swarmed with flies, and preceded by dozens of people. Turns out, NCL decided to get an additional bang for their buck and dock an additional ship to the island. Overall, this ship was a major disappointment. Read Less

Was on the Bliss last year just a few months after her inaugural. I really liked the ship observation lounge and thermal spa so thought I would give it another try. On that first cruise on Bliss I was disappointed by the quality of the food in the garden buffet and the offerings of the lunch menus in Taste, Savor but hoped it was just a matter of giving them time to work thru issues on a new ship. I could not have been more wrong. I found the buffet to be even worse than last year. Also, the only restaurant that could provide a breakfast that was better than room temperature was the Local. Of course I cant speak for the Haven but assume its superior there. The dinner offerings in Manhattan, Taste, and Savor were quite good overall tho I did have to send two items back due to being ridiculously over salted. Overall, I would recommend a new food director and oversight staff since they just are not in my opinion managing obvious issues so responsibility clearly lies with management on board. I still enjoyed the thermal spa area as I normally do but if you're at all shy be warned. They now secure the change room entry doors fully open at all times even if you ask for them to be closed. No idea why. People are walking into the wrong change rooms with frequency. If the thought of a complete stranger of the opposite sex walking in on you while you're fully disrobed bothers you, it might not be the experience you are looking or paying a premium for. Also, because of the placement of the rooms interior mirrors, you should be aware that people can see inside the change rooms now from the hallway door opening due to the reflection of the mirror opposite the lockers and dressing area. Ship cleanliness was still excellent as was the steward service and Vibe Club service. I found the entertainment to be lesser than on other NCL ships I have been on. I would call it average for a one week cruise but anything longer than that Im not sure I could give the same rating Overall I enjoyed myself but wont return to the Bliss without some indication that they have stopped the decline. Sorry Read Less

I have to open this review with the caveat that we stayed in the Haven. Haven passengers have a completely different experience than those not in the Haven. If you take anything from this review, know that I would rather cruise once every other year in The Haven, than annually in a standard room. With that said, the Bliss is a beautiful ship! The observation lounges (Haven and public) are a feature I won't soon sail without. They're spacious, comfortable, and offer a great view with the protection from weather. The staff is friendly, and food and entertainment options are nearly limitless; Jersey Boys was phenomenal!!! Food ranged from mediocre to excellent depending on the restaurant, but why not try them all. Several passengers on the cruise before ours got sick, so the ship took extra precautions to avoid the exchange of germs for the first half of our cruise. I'd rather err on the side of caution and appreciated the efforts. We were lucky enough to stop at Great Stirrup Cay, and had a great day. My biggest complaint would be the capacity of the Splash Academy. Our kids got blocked out the first two nights due to capacity, and they never had the opportunity to fork any close bonds with the other kids on board. All in all, I can't wait to do it again!! Read Less

Well now, here we are, back from the Bliss which was overall a good to very good cruise (B+) vacation. This is my 7th NCL cruise and my 13th voyage overall. As a family of four, we'd always talked about going away over New Year's and after Christmas. We spent the night before embarkation in NYC: taking in the 9/11 Memorial and Museum (not so cheery but so well done), eating at Patsy's, and enjoying the Yale Club. What follows is a review by category and an associated grade as well as tips/tricks for each section. Take it for what you will and feel free to contact with questions. EMBARKATION: A Actually, we were contacted the day before saying to arrive at the pier at 1pm. We ended up getting there at about noon and got right on the ship. Honestly -- it was so fast that it was a bit bizarre. NCL ships this size board in zones; and I think it was something like decks 5-9 and 10-17 checking in and entering the ship in different areas of the terminal. We headed first to lunch at The Local which was solid. Because the temperature was in the mid 50s, almost every outdoor public space was open and ready to enjoy. The reason we left late was that the Bliss was docked in a different area of the pier, across from a submarine...meaning that the tide needed to be just right to get this mega ship out to sea safely. Tips/Tricks -- Arrive early and pack patience. I think it was a fluke how well things went for us. Probably shouldn’t have been that easy and is more than likely a-typical. STATE ROOM(s): B My sister and I and parents enjoyed two, mid-ship mini suites. They are solid and have all the modern trappings of a cruise ship built in the last couple of years: small reading lights and USBs near the bed, good heating and cooling systems, some hidden storage to maximize space. The bathroom is enhanced with a double vanity and a sizable shower with body jets. Overall, though, the layout and feel of the cabin itself is un-discernible from a balcony on the Bliss or any other Breakaway Plus Class ship. Unless you're getting a stellar deal (which we did), there is not a reason convincing enough to book this category. We actually set out months ago to book one room in the Haven which quickly sold out, which was a bummer. Our room steward was exceedingly kind and attentive. Tips/Tricks: -- Book Sailaway cabin pricing if you're not interested in the beverage package (which is almost laughably expensive if not included in a fare offer). -- Four people in a balcony/interior will be tight on this class of NCL ships. Check out the family ocean view rooms -- super cool and spacious. SHIP: A- Huge. Modern. Beautiful. Lots to do. Good to very good layout for the +/- 4,900 passengers on board the week. My favorite space, having previously cruised on the Breakaway, is the Waterfront. We took a couple of meals out there during this cruise, enjoyed long walks, and grabbing drinks. The nicest night was as we pulled away from Nassau: about 75 degrees and dry. Make no mistake about it, though, if you're looking for quiet and uncrowded skip this ship or book The Haven. The volume of people, especially in the evenings and nights when the pool deck festivities have come to an end, is noticeable and at times annoying. Honestly, though, one of the things we were happiest with was the amount of help everywhere. Every bar had roving servers; it was always easy enough to get a drink. The ship mostly felt smaller than it was which is a huge credit to NCL. Tips/Tricks: -- Enjoy and explore in the morning; I know it's vacation but trust me it's worth it to get up a bit earlier to really get to know and behold the ship. -- Hang out in the observation lounge in the evening/night time (yes, obviously not much to observe out the windows but a really cool space and one of the best bars). -- Grab a drink and a bite at The Local to observe music or game shows in the over-crowded atrium below. -- Aft area of waterfront is a great place to stand and hang out as you get into/are leaving from a port. Usually very quiet. INCLUDED DINING: B On a ship this size, even with the amount of for-fee dining, there are numerous included choices. I did not once enter the fray of the garden buffet. No thanks. We took 6 of 8 breakfasts in either Savor/Taste or the Local. They were always solid to good. Nice, classic selections. Entrees at The Local are a bit small but certainly enough for breakfast. For lunch we either did not eat or went to The Local and once to Margaritaville. The Local for lunch is really solid and included pub fare. It can get a bit hectic there, though -- I think because of both its location and popularity. We enjoyed four included MDR dinners: 2 Savor, 1 Taste, 1 Manhattan Room. Each night was good to very good. I enjoyed dishes like grilled lamb chops, fettuccine alfredo with chicken, and prime rib. Soups and salads always solid, too. Drinks sometimes could take a little while to get to the table during dinner service. One night we had particularly slow service and the space was super warm -- not ideal. Once or twice we grabbed a light bite in the observation lounge which is a nicer, quieter, and simpler alternative to the over-crowded buffet. Tips and Tricks: -- Take you breakfast/lunch (sea days only for lunch) in the MDRs for better food, service, and fewer people. -- We enjoy wine with dinner and did have the UBP included in our fare. Once, somewhere during the first few days of the trip, a waiter left us with a bottle of wine which, per glass, is included in the UBP. I asked a few nights later and a different waiter was eager to accommodate and left the bottle. It makes sense, really -- it’s easier for them, anyway. -- Try the North/South red blend wine: it’s a Mondavi family signature pour done exclusively for NCL. I thought it was really solid stuff. -- If you want to go to your MDR reservation earlier (we did twice), just show up and ask. They were accommodating. SUPPLEMENTAL DINING: A- Good stuff here. You can really tell the difference between the food quality, service, and overall dining experience between included and supplemental dining. We really “blew our tops” and ate at the following: Lunch: Food Republic - Didn’t eat a ton here just popped in on a whim. We saw Captain Roberts here twice this week with his family -- kind of fun! I enjoyed a salmon sushi roll, we had some pad thai, and chicken skewers. Good stuff overall. Pricing is per item and is not so cheap. Margaritaville - Excellent. Usually open noon to five. Flat $15/pp. Nachos, quesadilla, and key lime pie were just so good. Solid value. Would return. Really worth a visit. Dinner: Le Bistro - Our favorite of the trip and food made better because of some first-rate service. I got the veal medallions and don’t even remember what I started or finished with but do remember they were all excellent. Used our first of three included meals here. Cagneys - Very good. My fillet looked a bit odd and over-done but tasted fine. They now have candied, thick-cut bacon which really induced the meat sweats before the main event even arrived. Lobster bisque was not the New England version I’m used to. Second of three meal swipes. La Cucina - Not so great. My dad and sister didn’t really like their meals, service was sporadic, my pasta dish was just OK. Third of three meal swipes. Q - Awesome. Wasn't so hungry so just got dinner and no starter or dessert. I had the pulled pork and I thought it and its little sides were awesome. Really cool concept here in a large space that could be utilized more during the day. On early sea days they should do a light food sampling so people would be more inclined to spend the money to enjoy dinner here. Tips/Tricks -- That bang for the buck goes the longest if you do get the two appetizers that are included with a meal swipe from the package at every specialty restaurant. -- Look at your itinerary and book warm weather nights when you can enjoy your meals out on the waterfront. -- You can still drink at the Margaritaville Bar if you don’t eat there. They have some signature drinks only served there included in your beverage package -- same too for the little bar at Le Bistro. ENTERTAINMENT: A Excellent all around. We saw: Beatles @ The Cavern Club. They have several shows a cruise each focusing on a different sound and time in Beatles lore. Get there at least 30 minutes early to secure a seat -- plenty of drink service. Really good take in (and, included!). Six. So good! Only been aboard the Bliss for a couple of months and I understand it’ll be on some other NCL ships soon, too. Pre-Broadway show about the life and times of the six wives of King Henry VIII. Jersey Boys: Also excellent. Pretty much a full-length production show with every sound, light, set, and special effect you’d behold on land. Numerous other musical acts throughout the ship were also very good. Mostly, the same people played the same places every night. The only one I didn’t really like was the country group, Southern Broncos. They needed some more contemporary music in their lineup and they sounded just okay, anyway. We did no bingo, game shows, trivia, or the sorts. Tips/Tricks -- Book stage shows before you get on the ship (available I believe 90 days out). For main stage shows, bring a drink in with you. One of the only areas on the ship where there was insufficient drink service. -- Be advised that the Beatles show is not the same every night it’s scheduled -- so go multiple times! ON-BOARD ACTIVITIES: B+ The race track and the laser tag were a ton of fun. Wish we did the laser tag a couple of more times. Be aware of extra fees. Neither of these activities are walk-up-and-play so, remember to make reservations (as soon as you get on the ship). I give a B+ here because honestly, aside from this and the water slides, there’s not a ton to do in the way of enrichment or other noverly cruise programming. Spa: My dad, sister and I did each get the super expensive thermal spa suite pass. Clocking in around $280/pp for the eight days, the pass comes with access to numerous therapeutic rooms and a killer spa pool with numerous treatment jets. I probably spent about an hour and a half a day here in order to make it worth it. If it was a warm-weather-only cruise, I may have skipped this pass in favor of a similar one to the Vibe Beach Club. Only midday on sea days was the suite exceedingly crowded. Eating dinner later most nights, we found using the suite between, say, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. was a good strategy. Really liked it overall but it is super pricey. Tips/Tricks: -- Book thermal suite pass before getting on the ship to save between $30-40 (we didn’t…) -- Upon embarkation, head right to The Social to book laser tag, go-karts, Prohibition/Happy Hour Musical, and comedy shows. Bring a print-out of current plans so you do not double book things accidentally. -- Opt to book both Go-karts and laser tag at night -- it’s much, much cooler with the lighting -- Don’t accidentally book a double go-kart session if you’re looking to take your own kart out for a spin. Double sessions are still $15/per cart but you are only given the ability to do four laps instead of the standard eight (we did this…yikes...still fun though). EXCURSIONS: C+ Just okay -- and, honestly, not a ton offered (which is why the C+). By the time we were about 45 days from the cruise, there were only 22 excursions available between NYC, Port Canaveral, the Private Isalnd, and Nassau. Kind of a bummer and I know space is limited but I had a thought it may have been a tactic to keep people on the ship to spend money. The offerings felt insufficient for an expensive and exciting holiday cruise. Not great. Port Canaveral: Well! We were supposed to arrive at noon on the first day, stay overnight, and depart @ 6 p.m. the following day. Turned out the ship didn’t dock and wasn’t cleared until sometime closer to 2:30 p.m. We had booked the Kennedy Space Center excursion which we read great things about other than the comment that there simply isn’t enough time to see things with a five hour tour inclusive of the half hour-ish transit time. Though we were told the tours would be extended because we were late, we had to inform the excursion folks that the Center closed at 6 p.m. regardless. Because we’d only have a couple hours there, we decided to opt for a full refund. The refund process was hassle-free. The second day the four of us took an Uber to a local golf course to play. This was not organized through the ship. It was a nice day -- despite a poor round of golf! Great Stirrup Cay: NCL is (and has) put a lot of money into this little slice of island paradise. It’s actually right next to RCL’s island, which is kind of cool. The night before we were expected to arrive at 8 a.m., the excursion desk told me we’d be in by 6:30 a.m. and offering tenders by about 7:00 a.m. We wisely planned for this and were on the first tender over. Speaking of tendering, NCL really needs to figure out a way to extend a dock so this practice isn’t needed anymore. It was fine going both ways but it just seems like kind of a pain still, with all the other money they’re spending. Perhaps environmental and geological reasons prohibit it? We booked a Small Cabana on the Cay which we loved and was more than big enough for the four of us. Things got super crowded there that day because we also shared the space with the older, smaller NCL Sun out of Florida out on a shorter voyage. People were actually fighting over chairs. One family approached the small cabana next to us and asked the people there if they could pay cash to split it with them! Crazy. NCL actually did set up additional food stations with basic offerings in shaded areas to offset the large buffet lines. Not much comes with the cabana! We did get bottled water and towels but no light snacks like in previous iterations of this excursion. Not too bad getting back on the ship. Think we were there about 7:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Nassau: I don’t know if it’s just me but I think the area around and just outside of the cruise terminal has deteriorated tremendously in the last decade. There’s not much to do; though it feels safe enough, it doesn’t really feel all that clean or inviting. We did the Blue Lagoon Island Beach Day. Getting there was a bit hectic with super long lines weaving in and out of other lines from excursions from the other three ships in that day. I really like this place -- and a lot has changed for the better since my last visit there in March of 2017. We got there and actually purchased a supplemental pass to the adults-only Serenity area. It was $140 total for four people. Totally worth it. Breathtaking beach, unparalleled service, private and extensive lunch buffet, complementary Bahamamamas/mimosas, access to snorkeling equipment, bottled water. We took the last shuttle possible back to the pier to get back on the Bliss. It was a very nice day and even nicer to be away from the rest of the crowds. This place felt less crowded and better-run than NCL’s private island. Tips/Tricks: -- Check in with the excursions desk on the first day of the cruise or so. Online, no small cabanas were available. When we went to ask they became available. This could be the case for other offerings, as well. -- Be advised that we had a mighty difficult time getting an Uber/cab at Port Canaveral on the second morning. Uber surges were x4+ for a while and the wait for a cab was like half an hour. Eventually the surge fell to x1.5 and we ordered. Not sure if this is because the ship had already been in and docked the day before or what...but it was equal parts annoying and unexpected. -- Look into booking that Serenity retreat @ the Blue Lagoon Island Beach day. NCL does not offer a special excursion for it like other lines do. Book the NCL one and then add the cost in that you’d pay there and it works out to about $110/pp for the day. DISEMBARKATION: A It was good. We were in no rush so we opted to get off last. Customs was kind of fun with those new face recognition machines. Luggage was where it should have been. Walked a block to order an Uber to head to our train departing from Penn @ 1 p.m.. Tips/Tricks: -- Don’t rush off the ship if you don’t need to! We had a really nice morning. After breakfast, we enjoyed about an hour and a half sitting in the observation lounge catching up on work and correspondence now that we were back in cell coverage. RANDOM NYE: Very fun. Parties everywhere. We hung out a few different places and ultimately ended up ringing in the New Year on the top pool deck. The tray-passed champagne for everyone, as well as hats and crowns, were a nice touch. Cleanliness: Crew and management was super and appropriately sensitive to winter germs, especially on a cold to warm water cruise. For the first couple of days, the crew took additional precautions including serving people at buffet lines, eliminating menus from cocktail longues, and sterilizing passengers' hands in numerous public spaces. Read Less

My husband and I booked this cruise as an adult get-away. We had a wonderful time on the ship and at the ports. Embarkation was supposed to be delayed, due to an illness outbreak, but people were allowed on the ship earlier than announced. Our departure from the port was delayed, but we grabbed a couple drinks and explored the ship and enjoyed the view of New York City. The ship itself was large and beautiful. It was still decorated for Christmas and felt very festive. Our cabin was nice and had more than enough storage. The bathroom seemed roomier than our previous cruise on Carnival. We ended up with a larger than normal balcony. It was large enough for a lounge chair, which would have been wonderful, but we only had the two regular chairs. The food was wonderful no matter where we ate. The night we went to Los Lobos, the service was slow (we were seated at 5:45) and we had to run out without dessert to catch our 7:30 show. Otherwise, our servers were very attentive and we had excellent meals at each and every venue. The service from everyone on the ship was always good and courteous. We found the bar in the observation lounge to be very slow, however, most other places kept up with the crowds better. With this being a New Year's Cruise, they were very busy! The entertainment was probably one of the weakest areas for this cruise. We loved some parts, but found others very lacking. The musicals were absolutely amazing and the evening bands were great! A lot of the other activities centered around paying for extras, like bingo, or trivia. This was not interesting to us. Other game show type activities took place in the atrium, which was overcrowded and uncomfortable. Some of those activities would have been great in the theatre with all the extra seating. We paid to see the Prohibition show, which was a bit of a rip off. Having the drink package, we could have gotten the drinks at the bars for free, so we paid $38 to watch a 40 minute just ok show. I really think there should be a price reduction for those who already have the drink package. Our times at the ports were nice. We especially liked our trip to Adastra Gardens. I was amazed the number of animals you could interact with all for the basic admission price. That is not something you would find in the US. We loved walking around Nassau and shopping. The private island was very crowded that day, so we left early and enjoyed the hottub on the ship. In Florida, we didn't do much, but that was our choice. Overall the cruise and ship were wonderful and we had an awesome time. My complaints from the experience are few, but I will share. 1. We were glad our children (10 and 12) weren't with us because we don't think there would have been enough to keep them busy without spending a lot of extra money. 2. There was a complete lack of sharing information about debarkation. We received no written or announced directions on what to do before the morning of debarkation and then found out we hadn't grabbed luggage tags like we should have. Because we were taking our own luggage off the ship, it was a nonissue, however a little more communication would have been nice. 3. My biggest complaint would be the amount of complaining we heard from other passengers. Each time we sat in the hottub, everyone else shared how horrible the cruise was and how they were so unhappy and mistreated. We heard how bad the food was, how horrible the service was, how the cruiseline wasn't doing enough to keep them happy, how they complained and nothing happened so they had to keep complaining. As we sat at restaurants, neighboring tables would complain about service or rooms or excursions. The constant complaints from others was a bit exhausting, especailly when we were having a great time. On the last day of our cruise we watched a hostess attempt to seat a lady, who quickly walked away from the area she was being led to and said "I sit by a window." She then proceeded to choose her own dirty table at which to sit so she could be beside the window. At this point of the cruise, my husband and I realized that this cruise line really doesn't seem to attract people with our interpersonal values. While we loved the cruise, we don't plan to cruise Norwegian again any time soon. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it left out of Manhattan so we didn't have the added expense of flying to the port and because we wanted to take a two week vacation (for the first time in our lives) celebrating our anniversary on 12/23, Christmas, and New Years. We were exceptionally pleased from day 1 until the end. First, we decided seven days isn't enough to fully relax, so we were very happy we stayed for 14 days. Second, I was worried my husband would get antsy during the three days at sea getting to Puerto Rico but was really happy that both of us enjoyed the down time by reading, playing games, listening to the great music on board, going to the exceptional shows, and eating great food. We talked to a lot of people who complained about the entertainment and food but we have to disagree - people wanted to be entertained every minute all throughout the day instead of entertaining themselves sometimes. And while the buffet food did get a little redundant, I still didn't have to shop, cook, or clean up so I wasn't complaining! We eat a plant based diet and the cooks really didn't have many choices for that so we just went pescatarian for the cruise and that was fine. We had a dining package through our travel agent and LOVED the Italian restaurant, liked the French restaurant, and thought the steak house was just ok (but we don't eat meat so we knew that would be the case). We have cruised a couple times before and liked this ship the best. We always get the cheapest cabin because we don't see any point in spending money on a place we only intend to sleep in and our cabin was just fine. The service we got was excellent (except for some reason in the Grand Pacific). Like everyone, we don't like to be nickled and dimed and do feel things like bingo and soda should be included in the price. Since we didn't fly, we brought our own wine and liquor and made ourselves drinks when we wanted them for a fraction of what the ship would charge. The ports of call were great although it was hard to remember where we had been and where we were going since there were so many stops. My husband used the fitness center every day and his only complaint was that they didn't have a sauna. There is one in the spa but it's a charge. All in all, we felt like we got a very good bargain for a two week cruise. Read Less

Lovely ship for those who like smaller vessels. Plenty out door space, could always find a sun bed. Cabin was nice & cozy for the 3 of us (sharing with 16 yr old daughter & husband) Good food at complimentary dining, buffet basic with a fair choice & the 2 dining rooms made it a bit special, especially if you took lunch there. All the speciality dining areas were good especially the French, Brazilian & Tappinaky (?) Beware if you have a drinks package not to buy bottles of wine as these can be very expensive (Especially to European pockets) If you want to have a hectic holiday there is plenty to do on board. The shows at night are excellent. Was disappointed if you were just looking for a normal disco evening as it didn't exist. There was plenty of singers & some bands with restricted repertoires, especially for a 154 day cruise. But no 'boogieing' for those of us who still feel young All the bars but 1 shut down at 12.30 am on New Years which left the Bliss "night club" (over 18's) the only thing open with a really abysmal DJ & then shut down because of 14+ yr olds walking about & picking drinks AND there was no security available to remove them. So I was a bit disappointed at the lack of New Year celebrations. The 10 ports we visited were fantastic & I saved a lot of money by booking excursions independently through a different travel company rather than on board. My only down side was, being a smoker, there was no where to sit quietly, read your book & smoke. You were either stuck by the noisy bar or in the very smelly cigar room. (But I suppose I can't have everything?) Do take advantage of the speciality dining & drinks packages & don't bother with the WiFi as it's terrible A word of note to European cruisers this is a predominately american cruise with all that entails. I would cruise the Caribbean again but maybe on a non-american boat. Read Less

What a fabulous holiday. I had been reading the reviews and was a little concerned but I honestly don't know where all the negativity was coming from. Embarkation - got to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal early. Was really slick - lots of people to take the bags and make sure they were tagged properly. Easy directions to get to the holding area and because i travel with my mom, who is a Platinum Lattitudes member, we were in the first group to go. Within a half an hour we were in line for our key cards - painless process, and on the ship we went. We went into the Atrium and were greeted by the SPECTACULAR gingerbread house display and a crew member even offered to take a picture of me and my mom - a free photo! We jumped on that opportunity! We always avoid the buffet for the first meal, we opted for the pub offerings at O'Sheean's. The staff were all cheerful and the guests were all bubbling with excitement. We toured the ship, it was NYC December 21 so being outside was not possible but plenty of places to check out and peek at. Smallest ship I've been on but there always seemed to be room in the elevators, all crew members were in good spirits for the trip. Now, the balcony stateroom was definitely the smallest I've ever experienced but it fits two quite handily and my mother and I were quite comfy. It was spotless and everything worked well. We indulged in the Thermal Suite and that was amazing - did sailaway from that location and were treated to a great view of the statue of liberty. The cruise was great, terrific food no matter where we ate, and we ate everywhere - the all of the MDRs (Grand Pacific, Magenta, Orchid Garden) the buffets, and all of the specialty restaurants (except Teppanyaki - not a favourite of my mom's!) Entertainment was great, although we weren't really fond of the comic, or Blazing Boots, but we enjoyed everything else - especially the Chernov brothers and Get Down Tonight. And having something different to go to every night was really great - particularly for such a long cruise. Ports were lovely and we did end up missing out on the final port stop of Punta Cana because we were tendering but it was clear the water was too rough, we knew it would be cancelled before the captain told us it would be. But the crew went out of their way to keep everyone happy and occupied and I don't think many people really minded missing out on the port stop. The captain entertained everyone in the morning with fun facts and Luz, the Cruise Director went above and beyond. Disembarkation was just as easy and slick as embarkation. Our luggage tag was called and we were off the ship in about 30 minutes. Couldn't have been easier. FABULOUS cruise and would do this Christmas cruise again in a heartbeat. Read Less

We did the holiday cruise out of New York from 21 December to January 4. The ship is beautiful and very clean. All the staff were really friendly. The entertainment was quite good, the cruise director, Luz was fantastic. We mainly dined in the main dining raoom, we found the food to be really tasty and good. We had the unlimited beverage package and the bar staff know how to make good cocktails :) So much fun! New Year's Eve was also very nice with different parties all around the ship. For Christmas night I would have expected something more special, they had a Christmas show in the theater and after that the crew sang carols in the atrium, that was quite nice. Smoking is allowed in the casino, something NCL needs to change with the next refurbismhment. Overall we were really happy with this cruise and would definitely sail on the Gem again! Read Less

Just got back from the 8-day Norwegian Bliss (Bahamas & Florida from New York) Christmas cruise If you’re the type of person who likes to stay on board during port stops, then this maybe the cruise for you (my wife enjoys spending time on the ship, whereas for my kids and myself we use it as a floating transportation hotel mechanism to the islands) Pros: • Friendly staff • Immaculate rooms and the ship is kept very clean (ship built in 2018) • Food was very good (even the buffet) • Entertainment shows were very good (especially for a cruise ship) • Boarding was a quick and painless process. • If you like to eat, then this is a cruise for you (a floating “golden corral” – eat sleep repeat) Cons: • My teenage kids complained about the ship not having a basketball court, this was a common nightly event on other ships where they would congregate during evenings. This ship had go carts and laser tag (for additional charges), but did not interest my kids. • We were at sea and there were NFL Saturday games (w playoff implication) blocked from the TVs throughout the day where they only showed international soccer games (great if you’re a European, but where most of the people on the ship were from the US, it was a complete disaster). • Port Canaveral is not that exciting if you do not venture out to Disney or Universal. We would have gone to the theme parks if we had longer port times. It takes an hour to get to the parks, but the first day you arrive at 1 pm and parks close at 9 pm, so you would not get your money’s worth. The second day we had to be back on the ship by 4:30 p, so that would only allow for a half a day. What NCL should offer is a full 8 am until 10 pm option, this way you could spend a full day at one of the parks. • We had signed up for scuba diving, but due to strong currents the ship canceled the excursion. So we booked an excursion to the Blue Lagoon Island. Perhaps it would be okay if you wanted to swim with the dolphins or if you had small children. But in my opinion it was not worth the money. The one ocean beach was rocky and you could not swim due to the currents (but even without currents, it was a rocky beach). So the only alternative was a knee deep river that goes in between the island. We got a lunch ticket, but lines were long and food was sub par. • The next day we were supposed to port at Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, only to find out the current was a bit too strong for the tenders to take us to the island. NCL purchased the island in 1977 (42 years of ownership and you cannot invest in a port?? really) Meanwhile next to the island was Royal Caribbean Little Stirrup Cay and they had a port, so they got to spend the entire 'sunny' day on the island and to make matters worse we could see them, where we could not disembark. Our cruise ended up heading back to New York early. NCL gave us a whole $18 per person for the inconvenience. • Next exciting event, people got sick on board (and do you think passengers are going to quarantine themselves per the rule… nope they went out and shared the love) NCL has a policy where they remove salt n pepper shakers etc to keep from spreading the virus. Note: fortunately none of us got sick, minus a cold and a kid throwing up just missing my son. • Departure back in NY was a disaster too, we needed to be out of the rooms by 9 am and yet we could not leave the ship until our color times were called. So most of the people were in long lines and sitting on the floor. Summing it up, this was the worst cruise I have taken (we have been on several cruises). Now clearly I have seen videos of cruises where the ocean was pouring into the cabins due to a hurricane, now we didn’t have it that bad. But it was not worth the premium Christmas week up charge. Read Less

Our previous 2 cruises on NCL were definitely 5 star. This cruise was unfortunately a 2 star for us. Sailing out of New York was nice. Easy for us to get to from Philly. Sailing past the NYC skyline and the Statue of Liberty was marvelous. First stop was Port Canaveral. Excursion to Kennedy Space center was shortened by 2 hours which prevented us from seeing some exhibits. Next stop was Nassau. It was windy so, parasailing was cancelled. Spent the day at Atlantis resort which was just ok. Again, we had such a short stop we didn’t get much pool time. Next stop was NCL’s private island Great Stirrup Cay. Unfortunately the seas were too rough for the tenders to safely board passengers so they scrapped that. The captain and crew knew the day before that the water would be too rough, yet they proceeded anyway and made the announcement that we could not get off the ship as we were all lining up to disembark. We spent the next 3 ½ days going 10 miles an hour back to New York. 4000 people trying to get a spot at the pool. We had to carry our own lounge chairs to the aft sun deck and make our own space. What a joke!!! I spoke to several passengers who have done this cruise twice before and they said they have never made it to NCL’s private island. It seems they only get there about 20% of the time. Feels to me like a bait and switch. Their island is a selling point, that’s how they hook you into the cruise. Then the schedule changes because of rough water. Royal Caribbean’s island is next to NCL yet they have a dock where their ships can safely get passengers on shore. NCL has so much money they should build a dock. It’s absurd that they don’t have one already. Staying overnight in Port Canaveral was a waste. Instead they should stay over in Nassau. Would have been nice to get an extra day there. And truthfully, a Florida stop is ridiculous on a Bahamas cruise. The ship was overloaded with small children whose parents were on vacation from parenting. Little children in the casino, teenagers drinking and gambling. Not one staff member did anything about it even though they were alerted to the situation multiple times. Staff friendliness was hit or miss. Our cabin steward was a doll. Staff in the buffet were rude. 9:15pm and the burger bar doesn't open until 9:30pm. WHAT?? We were yelled at not to touch the food. Fitness center is way too small and was packed all day every day. Ship was messy in the common areas and in the elevators. 3 days before the cruise ended all the ketchup, salt pepper, creamer and sweetener was missing from the buffet and Starbucks. Staff was guarding the coffee and juice machines, serving you upon request. We finally got one staff member to be honest and tell us there were 50 people sick with vomiting, diarrhea and influenza. They were trying to keep everything sterile. Don't know how successful they were. My husband and I both left the ship with a bad cold I will say the food was good particularly in the specialty restaurants. Entertainment was also terrific including the band Siglo, The Beatles and the country band Southern Bronco’s. Their lead guitarist was phenomenal. So, we are off cruising for a while. When we do go again it will be on either Royal Caribbean or Celebrity which get higher ratings overall than NCL. To give you an idea how disappointed we were about this cruise to nowhere, we came home and booked a “rebound/do-over” vacation for March. Read Less

This was supposed to be my husband and I's honeymoon. Restaurants/ Service was great. Cabin was clean and decent. Activities on boat were incredibly lame. If you're not completely into Drinking, Trivia and food, you're kind of out of luck. Shows were great, Prohibition and Jersey Boys were great. Book it as early as possible Spa services were incredibly overpriced, that's saying something coming from someone who lives in NYC. Ports and shore excursions absolutely sucked. Port Canaveral: Arrived Late to Port Canaveral, couldn't go to Disney. Everything else required sunny days, which there were none. Cocoa Beach was essentially a ghost town. Nassau: Great. Aquaventure was a blast! We only needed a half day there and immediately spent the rest of the day walking around Nassau, which was beautiful. This was the highlight of the trip. Great Stirrup Cay: I wouldn't know, I only saw the island from a far. The ship didn't stop at Great Stirrup Cay on Christmas because they couldn't get the tenders to the ship. It was beautiful out, but the seas were choppy. The Cruise director made the decision that morning to leave. The biggest slap in the face was seeing Royal Caribbean docked at their private pier. I saw them docking their ship as our boat pulled away. At around Midday, the crew threw together a half-assed itinerary and we spent an additional day cruising around the island of the Bahamas. "Don't worry, apparently this happens all the time. I've only been to the island once" said multiple passengers who were frequent NCL cruisers. "Don't worry, they'll refund your shore excursions, " said another. Seriously? Had I known this would have happened, I wouldn't have book this cruise. If I wanted cabin fever, staying in one place for 6+ days eating and drinking my face off, I would holed up in a cabin in the woods. Don't waste your time. Royal Caribbean didn't even have to lift a finger to sell me on my next cruise. Read Less