My husband and I recently returned from sailing with his family for 7 nights on the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship. We had the absolute best time! I previously shared a blog post detailing everything I packed for this trip, which you can find here. This post outlines our daily itinerary including what we did on the ship and at the following ports of call – Roatan, Honduras; Harvest Caye, Belize; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Cozumel, Mexico. Whether you’re cruising on the Norwegian Bliss or planning a different trip with these destinations, I hope you find this travel guide helpful!
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Day 1/6 – Day at Sea
Our first and final day on the Norwegian Bliss were spent fully at sea. This is the perfect time to take advantage of everything the ship has to offer. I highly recommend participating in some onboard activities, as most of them are included in what you already paid for the cruise (the ship will provide a daily schedule). On the Norwegian Bliss, there were activities such as water slides, go-karts, and mini golf. There were also other events such as beer/wine tastings, art shows, and of course many games. Fun fact: we were on the cruise during the World Cup final which was super exciting!
Day 2 – Roatán, Honduras
Our first port of call on the Norwegian Bliss was in Roatán, a small island off the coast of Honduras. This was actually the only day that we did not book an excursion ahead of time, mainly because we couldn’t decide! We disembarked the ship with a loose plan to find a local tour to take. The day turned out even better than expected! There were many tour guides inside the port that were looking for customers to escort around the island. If you don’t book an excursion ahead of time, I recommend finding a tour inside the port rather than outside. Our tour guide took us to a chocolate factory, local gift shop, Rum company, and finally to a beach club for a few hours of relaxation. The tour was with just our family (which was nice!) and the prices/stops were negotiable with the company.
Day 3 – Costa Maya, Mexico
Our second port of call was actually supposed to be in Belize, but due to port congestion was switched to Costa Maya (Mahahual). We were slightly worried because this was the day in which we had booked an excursion outside of the cruise line. The company was already aware of the change by the time we contacted them and had no issues switching our tour date. We were so relieved! The excursion we booked was the Chacchoben Extreme Tour with The Native Choice Costa Maya Excursions. This tour was the best of both worlds because we were able to see ancient Mayan Ruins, as well as visit Bacalar’s 7 Color Lagoon! The company was easy to book and communicate with, and the meeting point was right outside of the port (directions provided).
The tour began with an approximately one hour drive to the Chacchoben Ruins in a medium sized van. We then had about an hour at the ruins in which we learned history from the tour guide and explored with ample time for pictures. After the ruins, we boarded the bus for about another 30 minutes until we reached Bacalar’s 7 Color Lagoon (Laguna de Siete Colores). As the name implies, the colors of the lagoon were so vibrant and absolutely breathtaking. I highly recommend! We were hosted at the Bacalar Lagoon Resort where we were provided with lunch, drinks, and use of the beach chairs and kayaks.
Day 4 – Harvest Caye, Belize
Our next stop on the cruise was in Harvest Caye, Belize, an island privately owned by Norwegian. For this day, we planned to take it easy and simply relax. Although the island is small, it does have some activities you can book such as zip lining or visiting the nature park. Since our other 3 excursions were full day activities, we decided it would be nice to spend this day taking some sun on the beach. There are many beach chairs set up on the island that you can use free of charge. There are also some restaurants and bars on the island, but keep in mind that these are not included and cost extra.
Day 5 – Cozumel, Mexico
Our last port of call on the Norwegian Bliss was a super exciting one! Although we docked in Cozumel, we booked an excursion through the cruise line to take us to the Tulum ruins. We debated taking this excursion because it’s a long journey, but decided it was a once in a lifetime experience! Compared to the Chacchoben ruins we saw in Mahahual, the Tulum ruins are much larger and more well known.
We began the day’s journey by taking a 45 minute ferry ride to Playa del Carmen. I read reviews stating that the ferry ride can be choppy, so we brought motion sickness medicine just in case. However, it was not too bad for us that day. We then boarded a large bus that took us on a 1 hour ride to the ruins. The ruins were beautiful and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see them in person! It was well worth the long trip! After the ruins, we had one hour to spend in Playa del Carmen before it was time to head back to Cozumel. We found a hole in the wall taco place and had the BEST tacos of our lives! Any time you are traveling, I always recommend trying to skip the touristy places and eat where the locals are. You won’t be disappointed!
Final Recommendations
- Take advantage of the included activities on board your cruise ship. Check the schedule each day to see what’s going on!
- Make dinner reservations prior to cruising. Consider the time you will be back on the ship from excursions when choosing a dinner time.
- Plan excursions prior to cruising, and don’t be afraid to book with outside companies. Just read the reviews first!
- Consider the drinking package if you drink alcohol. Drinks are priced fairly high individually on the ship, so you will likely save with the package.
- Time is limited at each port, but that is the beauty of cruising. Try to make the most of each day! We thoroughly enjoyed our time on the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship and highly recommend it!
