I live on a cruise ship for half the year with my husband and it's often as glamorous as it sounds. After all, I don't cook, clean, make my bed, do laundry, or pay for food.
27.07.2023 - 18:14 / smartertravel.com
I saw the photographs before I boarded the behemoth cruise ship, so my biggest priority once I arrived was getting in a go-kart and speeding around a cruise ship racetrack like it was a real-life Mario Kart course. When my turn on the track was done, however, I discovered that there was a surprising element to the Norwegian Bliss that was being overshadowed by its deck-topping showstoppers—its sophisticated sense of style.
Norwegian’s newest ship just made its debut in New York City, flaunting two full-size waterslides, a laser tag arena, and a multi-level go-kart track. With enough beds to sleep over 4,000 passengers, 20 decks, and an impressive weight of 168,028 tons, the Norwegian Bliss is Norwegian Cruise Line’s biggest and most ambitious ship to date.
The Norwegian BlissThis summer the Bliss will offer a 7-Day Alaska Cruise, and during winter months it will service the Eastern Caribbean, Panama Canal, and Mexican Riviera.
The Norwegian Bliss is attempting to usher in a new world of cruising, one that carries on the tradition of classic cruise fun but creates an ambiance that feels personal and classy.
Related: 10 New Bucket List Cruises for 2018 Cold Boat, Warm BoatThe Bliss was designed with Alaska’s sweeping glacier views in mind, and it’s apparent by the size of its Observation Lounge. The spacious lounge wraps around the front of the ship and offers a cozy assortment of coffee tables and lounge chairs: It’s the perfect place to read a book and watch the icy seascape roll by. Because the Bliss will be traveling to Alaska, it has the feel of a cold-weather boat—cozy. But, especially for the world’s ninth-largest cruise ship, it’s surprisingly sophisticated and private. While the top of the ship screams summer fun, the rest of ship is reminiscent of smaller luxury expedition ships.
Blissed OutWhen you’ve had enough adrenaline and partying, the Bliss is ready to live up to its name, offering a full-service spa with a barber shop and also the option to add-on access to the Thermal Suite area, which features sauna rooms, heated loungers, a hydrotherapy pool, and wraparound views.
For entertainment, the ship offers specialized areas: The Cavern is a bar entirely dedicated to the Beatles, and there are stand-up comedy clubs and live lounge-music acts scattered throughout the decks. However, where Norwegian really steps it up is in its theatre, offering a program of two very different shows: ¡Havana!, an original musical created exclusively for the ship, and the Broadway classic, Jersey Boys.
Related: 12 Worst Cruise Rip-Offs and How to Beat Them The HavenTucked away at the top of most Norwegian ships, The Haven is an exclusive area for guests staying in luxury cabins. On the Bliss, this area
I live on a cruise ship for half the year with my husband and it's often as glamorous as it sounds. After all, I don't cook, clean, make my bed, do laundry, or pay for food.
I've been on 110 cruises in the past few decades, and I've learned some of the best ways to get a great deal before and during a trip.
Every year, retired cruise ships are sold to ship-breaking yards in Turkey and India where thousands of workers painstakingly dismantle the massive vessels and sell their parts for scrap.
Packing for any type of vacation can be stressful, but packing for a cruise, where you likely won’t be able to pop into a Target or schedule an Amazon delivery to replace a missing item mid-trip, only adds to the anxiety. Frequent travelers are likely to have a cruise packing list that outlines what outfits to wear in each port, swimsuits to sport at the pool, and comfortable shoes to wear around the ship, all waiting to be marked off as you place them into your suitcase.
Calling all cruisers: Celebrity Cruises has big savings on cruises across the world with a BOGO offer that includes up to 75 percent off a second guest.
Enter the Holland America Line “Choose Your Cruise” sweepstakes by March 31, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a seven-day Holland America Line cruise for two to the winner’s choice of Alaska, Canada and New England, the Caribbean, or Europe, including most onboard meals.
In a first for a U.S. airline loyalty program, Alaska Airlines is offering members of its Mileage Plan program the option to redeem miles to pay for TSA PreCheck service.
Alaska Airlines is justly lauded for its Mileage Plan loyalty program, which among other features boasts 17 airline partners, allowing program members to earn and redeem miles for flights throughout the world.
Until yesterday, American Airlines customers dismayed at the airline’s August 1 pivot to a spend-based mileage program had a fallback option: Earn miles for their American flights in Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan program, which still awards miles the old-fashioned way, according to the distance flown.
Ever since Delta began ramping up operations in Seattle, Alaska Airlines’ hometown and main flight hub, the relationship between the two airlines has been disintegrating. And there was plenty to disintegrate. The carriers were long-time partners in each other’s frequent-flyer programs, and they code-shared on a host of flights. They were, in the industry vernacular, preferred marketing partners.
Wi-Fi access isn’t free on Alaska Airlines flights. But at least for the next year, the airline’s passengers can use inflight Wi-Fi to send and receive unlimited texts for free.