Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) kicked off the 2022 Alaska cruise season with Norwegian Bliss from the Port of Seattle.
NCL said the ship is the first to visit Alaska this season. Four more NCL ships also will explore Alaska this year, through October 2022.
On its cruises, the vessel will pass through the 25-million-acre Glacier Bay National Park, a World Heritage Site, Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, and the Misty Fiords National Monument near Ketchikan.
Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered Alaska cruises from Seattle in 2001. In conjunction with Port of Seattle, NCL parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings invested $30 million to upgrade Pier 66, where Norwegian Bliss was christened in 2018. The dual investment expanded the check-in area by 300 percent to more than 150,000 square feet. It also expanded two new passenger boarding bridges.
NCLH also has partnered with and invested in Ward Cove Dock Group, LLC, transforming land, formerly designated as a contaminated superfund cleanup by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), into a sustainable, environmentally friendly and entertaining site for the community and cruise visitors.
Through a partnership with the Alaska Native-owned Huna Totem Corporation, the company was able to complete a second cruise pier at Icy Strait Point, as well as expand the destination's Wilderness Landing. Enhancements featured upgraded retail and restaurants, as well as a zip line, and experiences highlighting the culture of the native Huna Tlingit people.
Throughout the 2022 cruise season, NCL will offer five-, seven-, nine-, and 10-day itineraries on Norwegian Bliss, Encore, Sun, Spirit, and Jewel.
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