Imagine awe over discovering fantastic vistas in The Last Frontier. Imagine exhilaration while exploring the wilds of Alaska. Imagine relaxation upon finding your slice of paradise in The Caribbean. Imagine Bliss. That’s what you’ll experience when you vacation on Norwegian’s newest and most incredible ship, Norwegian Bliss. Custom-built for the spectacular, Norwegian Bliss features a revolutionary Observation Lounge for you to soak in every stunning moment, from bald eagles soaring over glaciers to dolphins splashing through warm turquoise waters. Come aboard and experience the best dining, entertainment, and amenities at sea against a backdrop of unrivaled natural beauty. Whether you choose to go tropical, or go wild in Alaska, there’s one word to describe the experiences awaiting you on Norwegian’s newest ship: Bliss.
I was invited last May to experience the Norwegian Bliss in person, and I cannot wait to get back on the Bliss and cruise the Alaskan waters! I’ll be cruising with family and friends in September, and I hope that you can join me! For more information about the Sept. 22, 2019 Alaskan cruise that I will be hosting: https://travefy.com/trip/6yw9rqrzn8swqz2aum976zbwm6zvbrq
In future blog entries, I’ll be talking about other features of the beautiful Norwegian Bliss. (actually, I think she is one of my favorite ships I’ve ever toured or cruised on…it’s simply a beautiful ship). But today, I thought that I would share some information about one of the unique features of the Norwegian Bliss, her racetrack. The Norwegian Joy had the first race track at sea, but the Norwegian Bliss has the longest race track at sea…talk about friendly competition. There simply isn’t anything like this on any other ship. It was a total blast burning rubber on the top decks of the ship!
Let’s take a look at a few things you should know about Norwegian Cruise Line’s race tracks at sea.
- They were inspired by the CEO’s grandchildren — Norwegian Cruise Line always seems to be at the forefront of innovation at sea. When it came time to build Norwegian Bliss, Frank del Rio, the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO, asked his grandchildren for their ideas. According to del Rio, “I just said, ‘Why don’t you come up with a list of ideas you’d like to see on the next cruise ship?’ The next morning, they came up with the idea of a race track on board.” So, many thanks to his grand-kids!
- They are the first of their kind at sea. — The unique concept of having a race track on board a cruise ship is the first of its kind. No other cruise ship can boast this thrilling experience on the top deck. Which means you’ll have an experience like no other out at sea when you cruise Norwegian Bliss or the Norwegian Joy.
- The race tracks are actually competitive. — That’s right. Both of the race tracks on board Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Bliss offer an authentic racing experience — complete with race car engine sounds piped in through speakers located in the car’s headrest. The tracks even feature a viewing platform for spectators, a covered pit lane, floodlights, and a timing system as you race for that checkered flag.
- You can go impressively fast! — The innovative race cars, sporting four speeds for novice to advanced drivers, will reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour as you navigate the track’s many corners. As an added bonus, during every race — which lasts approximately eight minutes — drivers can use a special “turbo boost” feature for that little extra jump in acceleration. One ride on the race track is 8 laps.
- It’s like racing, but with ocean views. — Located outdoors on Deck 19, these challenging two-level race tracks also come with amazing ocean views. When you decelerate around the corner at the stern of Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy, you’ll be on the upper level of the track, where your driving skills will be rewarded with unimpeded ocean views. How many racers can say they’ve experienced the same?
- It’s an electrically charged experience! — Even though your experience as a race track car driver will include those authentic race car sounds of revving engines and gearing down as you’re coming into a corner, no one else will hear them — except for your fellow drivers. That’s because both are eco-friendly electric-car Race Tracks so as not to disturb non-racing enthusiasts, of course.
- Norwegian Bliss offers two customized cars by Alex Vega. –Known for customizing vehicles — sometimes for professional athletes and celebrities — under the brand name Avorza, Alex Vega will no doubt be recognized by fans around the world. Their popular show, The Auto Firm with Alex Vega, was asked to bring its tricked-out ideas to build two race cars for Norwegian Bliss. In fact, there’s a whole episode of the TV show detailing the entire process. About six months later and with input from the grand-kids once again, Vega and his team completed two customized Avorza race cars, which you can now drive on board Norwegian Bliss. After testing out his custom-built race cars on board Norwegian Bliss firsthand, here’s what Alex Vega said about Norwegian Bliss: “All these wonderful things are in one place: You have great restaurants, great food, clubs, comedy, a casino – you name it, it’s there; especially the race track. Seeing my Avorza race cars lighting up that race track at night – that was the icing on the cake. This was a wonderful experience. I’m very grateful to Frank and his wonderful team at Norwegian Cruise Line for this experience.”
- You can get unlimited rides for your entire cruise. — Racing fans have multiple options onboard Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Bliss. If you just want to try the racing experience once, a single run on the race tracks is offered for only $9.95. For an eight-minute lap full of thrills and challenges, that’s some pretty inexpensive entertainment overall. But everyone knows you’ll want to do it again. Fortunately, Norwegian Cruise Line also offers an Unlimited Day Pass for just $29.95 per person, so you can ride as many times as you want within the day. The best bargain for the Norwegian Bliss Race Track is $199.95 for an Unlimited Weekly Pass, which will be valid for your entire seven-day cruise. This means you can ride until you can’t hang onto the steering wheel anymore. It also means you’ll have access to a separate line so you shouldn’t be stuck anywhere in a queue. Plus, if you’re traveling with family and friends, they’ll never have to look for you onboard, as they’ll always know exactly where you are. You can also use any onboard credits you may have to pay for the experience. *pricing and passes subject to change
- It’s recommended to make a reservation for the race track. Reservations can be made through the interactive TV’s in guest rooms, on the Cruise Norwegian Mobile app, the interactive touch-screen kiosks throughout the ship, or with the onboard team.
- Hours: When the ship is at sea, the race track is open from 9AM until Midnight. When at port, the track’s availability is dependent on where the ship is and the movement of the guest. *hours are subject to change
So, are you ready to grab your fellow amateur racing enthusiasts and challenge them to some excitement at sea? Just send me an email, and we’ll begin planning your amazingly blissful & adventurous cruise on the Norwegian Bliss: kenneth@moderntravelpros.com
Norwegian Bliss is the newest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. During summer, she’ll cruise to Alaska from Seattle, and seasonally she’ll offer cruises to Bahamas & Florida, The Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Pacific Coastal and the Panama Canal.
TTFN!
Cleared For Take-Off! 