Were you in Seattle this summer? Did you see that gigantic cruise ship sitting so elegantly at the dock at Bell Harbor? The Norwegian Bliss is 20 decks tall, 1,094 feet in length, weighs in at 168,028 gross tons has 2,200 staterooms to carry 4,000 passengers plus additional cabins for the crew of 1,700. She is a moving theme park with a complete hotel.
She was christened in Seattle on May 30, 2018 and began her first Alaska season. We were lucky to have a group sail on this, her second season in our area. And what a sailing it was! It was difficult to choose between going on shore at the various ports of call or just staying on board to take advantage of more of the activities.
On shore there were totem poles, shops with end-of-the season sales, salmon fishing excursions or just a salmon bake, whale watching, dog sled summer camp, glacier gazing, scenic railway rides, zip lines, adventure hikes, and more shopping. You could stop for a show at the Red Dog Saloon, pick up free jewels at the Duty Free stores, walk along the plank streets, or take the gondola to the tops of the hills to see forever into the distance.
On board ship, the adventures were neverending. It took almost the entire week to become somewhat familiar with all that was offered. Can you imagine a two-story go-kart track, multi-level water slides, a bowling alley with pinball machines, multiple pools and hot tubs that hang over the edge? Watch outdoor movies on the pool deck’s immense screen or go into the theater for a more cozy atmosphere. How about a little exercise in the fully equipped gym, or maybe play laser tag on the top deck? Not quite that active, then try the putting course and see if you can sink the balls on a moving ship. As always there is a Casino, Art Auctions, dance classes, games, cooking demonstrations and so much more.
Hungry? There is food everywhere and every minute of every day. Complimentary venues included the Garden Café for buffet, the Observation Deck Lounge (20,000 feet of beautiful relaxation and windows), 3 main restaurants, as well as the 24-hour Local Bar & Grill. If you want to be out of the crowds and do something a little more special, there are 8 restaurants with specialties such as steak, Asian, French, Italian, Mexican, Japanese and seafood and BBQ.
With a ship that large, I could go on forever telling you what was available and telling you that we went non-stop and didn’t see it all. You might just want to sign up for a trip yourself for next summer. The Bliss will winter out of New York to the Bahamas and Caribbean and then return again to Seattle in May. Book now for a trip next year.
For reservations and further information, call Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or ask to be placed on the e-mail list at linda.finch@gmail.com.
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