Considering its size, it's not surprising that the Norwegian Cruise Lines vessel Norwegian Bliss is making a splash as it travels through British Columbia and Alaska waters this cruise season.
At 168,028 gross tons in size, 332.32 metres in length and with capacity for over 4,000 guests, The Bliss is one of the largest cruise ships in the world and points to the ever expanding nature of the cruise industry and the plans to send more of the giants of the seas into the lucrative tourist areas of the world.
Those booking passage on the Alaska Cruise offerings from the Bliss for 2018 are looking at a starting price point of $1,404 Canadian for the journey.
The level of interest in the new Norwegian Lines vessel is almost as large as the ship itself. With a range of cruise related publications, as well as more staid business publications all highlighting the many attractions and amenities that the Bliss boasts of.
Cruise Lovers: Your ship has come in with the Norwegian Bliss
Norwegian Bliss: An Individual Outstanding in Her class
Norwegian Cruise lines celebrates Norwegian Bliss with Show-stopping performances
On the Norwegian Bliss, Peace and Quiet, with a Side of Slides
World's newest cruise ship has go-karts and laser tag
The world's newest cruise ship also has the sickest rides onboard
Peter Greenberg Worldwide on board the Bliss
Oh, what a feeling
Fancy go-karting, laster tag on sea? This billion dollar cruise ship is just what you need; check ticket prices
Billion-Dollar Cruise Ship Brings Go-Karts and Laser Tag to the High seas
Juneau meets season of 'mega-ships'
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| Prince Rupert's Northland Cruise Terminal is host to 24 port calls this year, featuring vessels much smaller in nature than that of the Norwegian Bliss |
Prince Rupert's current strategy is to focus on the smaller vessels and pocket cruise experiences, so the North Coast is not currently on the radar for such large vessels and if they ever did explore what we have to offer, some infrastructure modifications would clearly need to be considered.
If a vessel the size of the Bliss were to arrive in Prince Rupert (if the dock could handle them that is) she would send more ashore in crew members (the Bliss has 1700) than the three scheduled vessel calls in Prince Rupert this month will deliver in passengers in total.
And while she sails just off our coastline, the Bliss is however calling on our neighbours to the north in Ketchikan this year.
Her arrival earlier this month celebrated as another turning point for that city's cruise industry.
Norwegian Bliss brings optimism, challenges for future
Today's vessel fix, finds the Norwegian Bliss currently sailing along the West Coast of Vancouver Island just off of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Another return trip to the North to come in the weeks ahead.
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| The Norwegian Bliss (blue image above) is transiting along the West Coast of Vancouver Island (Map from Marine Traffic website) |
With the Bliss the new standard it seems for the ever evolving cruise industry, Ketchikan is already making plans to expand their port infrastructure to accommodate the next generation of cruise ships that travel through our waters each season.
The arrival of the Bliss in ports up and down the Coast of BC, Alaska and in Washington state has generated a fair bit of interest, some of the coverage of the newest addition to the Alaska Cruise market can be reviewed below:
June 2 -- Mammoth Cruise ship sails into Victoria harbour (video)
June 2 -- James Bay residents unhappy with cruise ship bus traffic (video)
June 1 -- Largest cruise ship ever to dock in B.C. sails into Victoria
June 1 -- Ogden Point hosts largest cruise ship to ever come to the Island
June 1 -- Mammoth Cruise ship brings travel-agent invasion to capital
June 1 -- Norwegian Bliss: largest cruise ship ever to dock in Victoria arrives (video)
June 1 -- Largest cruise ship to ever visit B.C. pulls into Victoria
June 1 -- Ogden Point hosts larges cruise ship to ever come to the Island
May
May 31 -- The biggest cruise ship to ever dock in Victoria's harbour set to arrive tomorrow (video)
May 30 -- West Coast's largest home ported cruise ship arrives in Seattle (video)
More notes on the North Coast Cruise industry can be found on our archive page here.
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