A Family Adventure Aboard the Norwegian Bliss: A Wedding at Sea
In early December, our family of five embarked on a 5-night cruise aboard the Norwegian Bliss, departing from the Port of San Pedro. While the cruise wasn't without its challenges, it offered some special moments and memorable experiences, especially as the main reason for our trip was to celebrate a family wedding at sea.
We flew from Sacramento (SMF) to Long Beach (LGB) the night before the cruise and stayed at a nearby hotel within walking distance of the port. This made the embarkation process stress-free, as we simply strolled to the terminal the next morning. And of course, we flew with Southwest as my husband and I both have companion passes, making our 5 airplane tickets just 3 airplane tickets out of pocket, which we then purchased with southwest points.
Once onboard, we settled into two connecting balcony rooms on Deck 14. While it would have been nice to fit into one room, the extra space was appreciated, especially with three kids in tow (ages 9, 11, and 14). The balconies provided a peaceful escape and gorgeous ocean views—a highlight of our accommodations.
The primary reason for this cruise was my husband’s cousin’s wedding, and it was truly a beautiful and intimate affair. Held in the elegant Manhattan Room, the ceremony was a heartfelt moment surrounded by close family and friends. The Manhattan Room’s ambiance—with its floor-to-ceiling windows and live music—was the perfect setting for such a special occasion.
The ship offers three main dining rooms: Manhattan, Taste, and Savor. While the Manhattan Room impressed us during the wedding, our dining experience there on other nights was marred by slow service. After a couple of attempts, we opted for the Garden Café Buffet most evenings.
The buffet was just okay. While it offered a decent variety of dishes, the lack of seafood options was disappointing—no crab legs, lobster, shrimp, or smoked salmon, which are usually cruise staples. Soft-serve ice cream was available at the buffet, but it wasn’t open 24/7. For late-night cravings, we frequented The Local, a 24-hour casual dining spot. The fish and chips were decent and hit the spot for midnight snacks.
As part of our booking, each person in our party had one specialty dining credit included. We chose to use ours at Teppanyaki, a Japanese hibachi restaurant. This was a standout experience—the food was flavorful, and the live cooking show was entertaining for both kids and adults. We even got the whole place to start singing Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer.”
The Norwegian Bliss offers a variety of activities, though many of the more exciting options came with extra fees.
Kids' Clubs: Unfortunately, these were underwhelming. My kids didn’t spend much time there, with my daughter noting a lack of engaging activities. Instead, they gravitated toward the comfort of our cabin, watching movies on the in-room television.
Pools and Slides: While the ship features a pool and two water slides (an inner tube slide and a drop slide), the chilly December weather kept us from fully enjoying these amenities.
Laser Tag and Go-Karts: These activities were fun but came at an extra cost: $9.95 per person for laser tag and $15 per person for go-karts. We played laser tag twice and tried the go-karts once, which the kids enjoyed, but I wish these “fun” features were included in the cruise fare.
Running/walking track: to burn off some of those calories consumed at the Buffet
Art Gallery: we saw some amazing pieces by Godard and Kre8
The Observation Lounge: Floor to ceiling glass windows that has a bar inside and serves light snacks throughout the day
2 Shows: Icons (which are popular songs throughout history) and Jersey Boys (not kid-friendly)
With limited onboard activities geared toward kids and the chilly weather hindering outdoor fun, we found ourselves spending much of our time in our cabin or catching up with family. While the ship didn’t offer as much for our children as we’d hoped, the main purpose of the trip—celebrating a wedding and spending time with loved ones—was achieved.
The Norwegian Bliss is a beautiful ship, but it didn’t fully meet our expectations as a family-friendly cruise. The additional costs for key activities, underwhelming kids' clubs, and mediocre dining options left us wishing for more. It was also disappointing that there was no free on-board text messaging service. There were 2 NCL apps and the old version had the text messaging service for a fee of $7 per person, but it was spotty. The new version of the NCL app does not have this service but it is what the ships are transferring to. However, the wedding was a magical highlight, and our balcony staterooms and time spent with family made the trip worthwhile.
Would we cruise with Norwegian again? Maybe, but on a different ship with better reviews for families. For now, we’ll cherish the memories of the wedding and look forward to future adventures.
Until Next Time,
Faith
