Norwegian Bliss
Ship Specifications
Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship Class
Breakaway Plus
Year Built
2018
Gross Tonnage
168,028 GT
Passengers
4,004
Cabins
2,002
Decks
20
Crew
1,716
Choosing a cabin on Norwegian Bliss
Drawn from 31 traveler threads about cabins on Norwegian Bliss (2018–2026); there are no Breakaway Plus class-level threads, though some replies compare against Getaway and Encore.
Deck 10 is the number that keeps coming up in Bliss threads. A 2018 reply preferred it over deck 8 because it sits further from the pool deck with staterooms above and below; a 2020 booker's agent said guarantee mini-suites usually land there; and a 2020 couple chose a deck 10 aft-side balcony for a Glacier Bay sailing. The other recurring tip is about legwork rather than noise: a 2023 reviewer in a deck 14 midship balcony pointed out that Starbucks is on 6 and most restaurants on 6 through 8 while the buffet and Observation Lounge are on 15 and 16, and suggested deck 11 as the spot that keeps every trip to four decks or fewer. A 2020 inside-cabin guest added that the forward elevators run much busier than the aft ones. On motion and vibration the replies split the ship the usual way (aft gets the engine vibration and the popular wake-facing cabins, forward gets more wave action), but only the vibration point was made specifically about Bliss aft cabins. One 2020 reply stated flatly that Bliss has no obstructed balconies, which nobody contradicted, and several posters confirmed the captain rotates the ship in Glacier Bay so neither side misses the glaciers.
On categories, posters who have compared a standard balcony with a mini-suite (the category now sold as Club Balcony) say the cabin and balcony are the same size and the upgrade is the bathroom: a wider trough sink and a shower roughly the footprint of a tub. Guarantee bookings turned out well in the threads that reported back: a 2020 couple offered a $30 guarantee mini-suite ended up with a midship cabin three decks higher after a second call to their booking agent, and a 2023 reviewer who won a bid moved from a standard balcony into spa balcony 15866, which they found roomy with good storage. Bids do fail silently, though; a forward-facing oceanview guest on the same 2023 sailing heard nothing about their balcony bid until boarding and only then learned it had lost. A 2024 thread posted a full bid sheet for a guarantee balcony, where the consensus was that Haven offers around $750 per person were fair and a $150-per-person non-suite option reasonable if the location was good. Solo travelers have three tiers to weigh: a 2025 poster quoted $988 for a studio, $1,088 for an oceanview solo and $1,188 for a balcony, and a 2026 thread compared the 100-square-foot studios with the 135-square-foot solo insides on deck 5, some of which sit in dead-end corridors aft near the Guppies kids' space but in their own hallway. Bear in mind that the deck 15 threads date from 2018 to 2023, before the 2025 refit reworked the forward end of that deck.
Worth booking
Deck 10, midship
Named in three separate threads (2018, 2020): further from the pool deck with cabins above and below, the deck where guarantee mini-suites reportedly land most often, and the deck a Glacier Bay couple chose for their aft-side balcony.
Deck 11 if walking is a concern
A 2023 reviewer on deck 14 worked out that with restaurants on decks 6–8 and the buffet and Observation Lounge on 15–16, deck 11 keeps every trip to about four decks in either direction.
Solo Inside cabins in the dead-end corridors aft on deck 5
A 2026 thread for a light sleeper favored these over the 100-square-foot studios: 135 square feet, a wider bed and no through traffic; they are near the Guppies kids' area but in a separate hallway, and replies said that space is silent in the evening.
Spa balconies aft on deck 15 (cabin 15866 was reviewed)
A 2023 trip report that won a bid into 15866 found it roomy with good storage and got full use of the thermal suite. Posters note these sit aft on the same deck as the Observation Lounge, so it is a walk between the two.
Aft-facing balconies for Glacier Bay
A three-time Alaska cruiser in a 2020 thread called aft the best view on Bliss, with whales in the wake and seaplanes overhead; other replies in the same thread note these cabins carry more engine vibration and cost more.
Think twice
Wake-facing aft cabins for the vibration-sensitive
Two 2020 replies flagged that true aft cabins pick up more engine vibration than side balconies toward the back; experienced cruisers still prize them for the view, so it is a trade rather than a defect.
Oceanview cabins on the lowest passenger deck
A 2024 reply to a Bliss oceanview-or-Haven question warned that crew work areas sit below the lowest cabin deck and recounted a night of sawing and hammering from them; the reply did not say which NCL ship that was on, so treat it as a caution rather than a Bliss report.
Cabin questions
Are there obstructed-view balconies on Norwegian Bliss?
A 2020 reply said flatly that Bliss has none, and nobody in that thread or the companion guarantee-mini-suite thread disagreed. The one hedge came from NCL's own mini-suite page, which a poster noted still carries boilerplate about possible obstruction for guarantees; the consensus was that suites are placed where views are clear and the risk is small enough to take a cheap guarantee upgrade. The couple who asked did, and were placed midship three decks up from their original balcony.
Which side of the ship is better for an Alaska cruise on Norwegian Bliss?
Posters across 2018 and 2020 threads agreed it matters little: the captain rotates the ship at the glaciers in Glacier Bay so both sides get the view, and the docking side changes with the port and drill schedule. The two people who did pick a side disagreed with each other, one estimating the best land views were to port about 80% of the time and another saying the coastline was mostly to starboard while moving through Glacier Bay. The stronger advice was to use the balcony for the slow entry and exit and head to the open decks for the glaciers themselves.
Is the Spa Balcony on Norwegian Bliss worth the extra cost?
The 2018 rule of thumb was to pay the spa premium only if it costs less than buying the thermal suite pass outright, about $200 per person then; anything more and a standard balcony plus a pass wins. That math has shifted: a 2024 thread quoted the seven-day pass at $379 per person, up from $279 in 2023, which makes the category's built-in access worth more than it used to be. Posters also stress that Spa Balconies and Spa Mini-Suites do not include Haven access; only the Spa Suites do. A 2023 guest upgraded by bid into spa balcony 15866 liked the cabin and found the thermal suite crowded only on the first sea-day afternoon.
Solo Studio or Solo Inside cabin on Norwegian Bliss: which is quieter?
A 2026 thread asked exactly this for a light sleeper. The solo insides are about 135 square feet against 100 for the studios and have a wider bed; they sit on deck 5, some midship in an interior corridor and some aft at the end of a dead-end hallway near the Guppies kids' space. Replies favored the dead-end cabins for having no passing foot traffic, said the kids' area has its own hallway and goes quiet in the evenings, and added that studio guests get the Studio Lounge with its coffee machine and snacks. One reply saw no real advantage either way and said to book whichever is cheaper, noting the inside sometimes is.
What Travelers Say
Distilled from 419 traveler threads, passenger reviews and travel blogs.
Norwegian Bliss debuted in 2018 as one of NCL's flagship Breakaway-Plus mega-ships and quickly became the line's go-to vessel for Alaska, sailing round-trip from Seattle. What makes it stand out is the combination of top-deck thrills and a design tuned for scenic cruising: a two-level go-kart speedway and open-air laser tag up top, paired with a sprawling forward Observation Lounge built specifically to take in Alaska's glaciers and coastline. The vibe is high-energy and family-friendly, but with enough adults-only and premium retreats that couples and solo travelers also feel catered to.
Food and service draw the usual mixed reviews common to big NCL ships: the buffet is frequently knocked as mediocre, while specialty venues like Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro and Ocean Blue genuinely impress. Cabins range from compact interiors to the lavish Haven suites, which form a private ship-within-a-ship complete with the only indoor pool on board. Pools and the main sun deck get crowded, pushing many guests toward the paid Vibe Beach Club. Entertainment is a real strength, headlined by Broadway productions Jersey Boys and Six and the perennially packed Beatles tribute in The Cavern Club.
Bliss is best for active families, multi-generational groups and adventure-minded couples who want a packed roster of activities and don't mind that many of the marquee experiences carry an upcharge. Priced in line with other big-ship mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival, it competes on activity variety and its Alaska positioning rather than on all-inclusive value. Standout draws are the rooftop go-kart speedway, the Ocean Loops waterslides, and an Observation Lounge that turns glacier days into the highlight of the trip.
What People Love
- The two-level Bliss Speedway go-kart track is a genuine bucket-list thrill that reviewers love for the novelty of racing on top of a cruise ship
- Purpose-built for Alaska, the expansive forward Observation Lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows is repeatedly called the perfect spot for soaking in glaciers and scenery
- Strong Broadway-caliber entertainment, with Tony Award winners Jersey Boys and Six plus the wildly popular Beatles cover band in The Cavern Club
- Specialty restaurants like Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro and Ocean Blue earn praise for genuinely high-quality meals
Common Complaints
- The main pool deck gets badly overcrowded, with many guests saying you must pay extra for Vibe Beach Club just to find a lounger
- Persistent nickel-and-diming: go-karts, laser tag, arcade, specialty dining and drinks all carry upcharges on top of the fare
- Buffet food draws frequent criticism as mediocre to poor, even when main and specialty dining rate well
- Go-kart sessions require reservations through a clunky system and often turn into bumper-car pileups
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources: travel.usnews.com, travel.usnews.com, foreverkaren.com, alaskatrippers.com, cruiseline.com
Cruises on Norwegian Bliss
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Bliss - Alaska
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Bliss - Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Bliss - Panama Canal from Los Angeles to Miami
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Bliss - Cabo & Ensenada Getaway from Los Angeles
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Bliss - Bahamas & Florida from New York
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Bliss - Southern Caribbean from New York