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A spokesperson for the cruise line said that the ship could not safely dock in Gambia due to adverse weather conditions, adding that efforts are being made for the guests to rejoin the ship in Senegal on Tuesday. The cruise line said the passengers missed the "all aboard time of 3 p.m. local time." It said it was a "very unfortunate situation" but that passengers were responsible for being on time. In total, WPDE said that nine passengers were not allowed to reenter the ship, including four elderly people and one person who is a paraplegic. With thrilling water slides that shoot you out over the open ocean, laser tag, and Go-Karts, the Bliss is two parts ship and one part amusement park. Note that any outside activity is weather dependent and will be closed if it’s too cold and/or rainy.
A Few (Honest) Thoughts on the Bliss to Alaska
Royal Caribbean treats its All Access Tour as an excursion, so you can prebook it online, which is handy since space is limited. The tour is an extensive journey through the backstage areas of the ship, from the galley and the stores to the engine control room, the laundry and the I-95 crew corridor. There's also a bridge visit, subject to security levels, and a gift on completion of the tour. The price ($50 to $130) and tour itinerary vary by ship and sailing.
How does shore excursion credit work?
It depends on the tipping habits of the country you are in, but in most cases, tipping the bus driver, tour guides, and/or local experts or wait staff on your shore excursions is acceptable and appreciated. There is no need to tip any cruise ship staff who are along for the excursion (which sometimes happens on river cruises). Your cruise director or the daily newsletter will usually inform you if it's necessary to take your passport with you on a shore excursion. At a minimum, you need a photo ID and your cruise ship ID card. It’s also wise to take along the information provided by the ship about their agent in each port and the contact information for the local consulate. Are there instances where having a passport would help you?
Night 5 Dinner in the MDR
You are then free to make your way back to the ship or to a meeting point for the return trip as a group. The benefits of booking a shore excursion through your cruise ship are many. You can skip the hassle of arranging your own onshore activities, you'll know the tour provider has been vetted by the cruise line and is licensed and reputable. The ship also won't leave until all of its tour buses have returned -- even the tardy ones. And you might meet shipmates whose company you'll enjoy back on the ship.
However, some tours simply bring you to a destination where you're free to explore until it's time to meet the bus to go home. Others feature guided components, followed by an hour or two of free time. Some take up all your time in port, while others are just a few hours of an all-day visit. Choose a full-day tour to see the most you can in one trip or for journeys to destinations outside of the port city. A half-day tour might only focus on one specific itinerary -- a three-hour kayak trip or a highlights tour of a city -- while leaving you with free time to explore the port on your own before or after.
Often called the “brain” of the ship – the engine control room where all systems are monitored. And, in the control room, they can override everything on the entire ship. A large cruise ship like the Wonder of the Seas relies on its engine control room as a nerve center.
Final Afternoon at Sea
After dinner I attended Jersey Boys which is one of the things that keep me coming back to the NCL mega ships despite the 400 flights of stairs I have to climb each day. The full-length broadway style shows, including this one, are phenomenal and seeing them for free (well, sort of)…at sea…feels like the ultimate life hack. Honestly, one night in a hotel room in New York plus dinner and show tickets would likely cost more than my entire cruise fare.
Take a tour around the eco-friendly Silver Nova cruise ship - USA TODAY
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Hats off to MSC Cruises for keeping its behind-the-scenes tours affordable at $63 for adults ($33 for children). The Big Reveal is available on all MSC ships, except Lirica, and can be booked at reception. Princess Cruises offers, in our opinion, the best and most comprehensive behind-the-scenes tour.
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Cruise Ship Abandons 9 Passengers On African Island After Tour Overruns.
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Continuing our Carnival Venezia ship tour inside, and in keeping with the Italian theme, Carnival Venezia's spa on Deck 12 has gone for a Roman Bath-type theme, with columns, mosaics and painting of lounging Romans being pampered. Carnival Venezia is the latest cruise ship from Carnival Cruise Line – but with a twist – the ship is the first of two rebranded "Carnival Fun, Italian Style". This was a new addition to the tour, and there was some confusion with the timing.
It takes about three hours to show no more than 16 passengers the workings of a Cunard Queen. You'll see the galley, laundry room and stores, and visit the cold storage area, the butchery and the bakery. There's a talk about the ship's environmental systems, a walk along the I-95 and a look backstage at the theater. Passengers are given a commemorative photo of the ship, although there's no bridge visit.
These include engine and propulsion systems, cooling systems, and environmental controls. The Ultimate Ship Tour is offered on sea days, once or twice per cruise, and has to be booked via the Passenger Services Desk. Other passengers may face the stress of becoming stranded in remote locations through no fault of their own.
Heroes Tribute Bar is, as the name suggests, a tribute to those who have served, and it's also a first for the line (expect to see it on forthcoming ships). It has a sports bar vibe, with big screen TVs, bar snacks and plenty of beers on tap. A new to the fleet offering, this "Mexitalian" joint will satisfy your burrito and taco cravings – again with an Italian twist. It's open for breakfast and lunch and serves everything from the aforementioned Mexican staples to Italian meatballs and salads.
To enhance each port visit (as well as to increase their profits), cruise lines offer organized shore excursions on all ships for additional fees. These land-based trips run the gamut from sightseeing city tours to cultural events and active pursuits. You can take a sunset pleasure cruise in St. Lucia, visit penguin colonies in Antarctica, go wine tasting in Provence or bike through Copenhagen. The tours can be booked onboard at your ship's excursions desk or online before you depart on your trip. Anyway, the cruise I’m reporting on here was my second on the Bliss to Alaska, but was significant in that it was the very first Alaska cruise across all lines and ships of the 2024 season. It was also my first time cruising solo on the Bliss (last time I had my son with me).
The gym is always my least favorite spot on any cruise ship, but I hated it even more on the Bliss, probably because I found it too hot and too small for the size of the ship and thought it opened too late in the morning (6am). For the size of the gym versus the size of the ship, it really should be been open 24/7 to have a prayer at accommodating everyone weird enough to exercise on vacation. They probably contain more pee than water on sea days, but you’ll be totally in charge of how much pee is in them on port days while everyone else is off the ship. And to make matters worse, as soon as I disembark tomorrow, I’m moving (20 feet across the hall, but still!)! Which reminds me, if someone local to Seattle wouldn’t mind me crashing on your couch for a few days while I pretend to be lost at sea so I don’t have to help, I’d be ever so grateful.
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