Perfect Ensenada Port Day on Norwegian Bliss — The Haven, Teppanyaki, Bar & Go-Karts! #Cruising

We just pulled into Ensenada on the Norwegian Bliss, and we wanted to share our experience with you. We’ve visited this port many times before, but this trip was special because we got to stay in a Haven Courtyard Suite on deck 17. The room had an amazing view of the port and the bridge that leads into town.

The cruise gave us a chance to enjoy some unique features on the Norwegian Bliss. We ate at the Haven restaurant, which was never crowded and the staff always greeted us by name. We also walked around Ensenada and visited some familiar spots like Barendaloo. The ship itself had some cool features like a go-kart track and water slides that stuck out over the edge.

Key Takeaways

• We stayed in a Haven Courtyard Suite on deck 17 which was quiet and had great views of the port
• The Norwegian Bliss has unique features like go-karts and water slides plus a Haven restaurant that offers personal service
• We visited Ensenada and saw how much bigger the Bliss was compared to other ships we’ve been on

Arriving at Port

Views from Our Room Camera

We had a bridge cam in our room that gave us a really cool view of the bridge as ships leave the port. We’ve walked across this bridge many times in past visits and even filmed videos from spots near it.

What caught our attention this time was how full the water was underneath. Usually it’s pretty empty with visible tires and mud, and it can smell bad. But on this visit, the water level was nice and high.

We could see the Puerto Ensenada sign clearly. We also spotted Bar Andaluz across the way, where we planned to visit later. It was just past 10:00 in the morning when they started letting people off the ship.

We noticed a worker down below putting up flags all around the port area. They really went all out for the Bliss this time. They filled up the water and decorated with flags everywhere.

What We Saw Around the Port

We were at a different dock than where we usually park. The little shops that used to be there were long gone. But we could still see familiar signs and sculptures in the area.

Key landmarks we spotted:

• Bonos (a place we always stop at)
• The bridge that leads into town near the big flag
• Bar Andaluz in the distance
• Ensenada proper and the marina

The port was fully set up and decorated. They had flags displayed throughout the area. The whole setup looked much nicer than we’d seen on previous visits.

Different Dock Than Usual

We docked at a different location compared to where we normally park. From our balcony, we could see the go-kart track sticking over the edge of the ship. The water slide was also visible hanging over the side.

Our room location:

• Deck 17 in the Haven Courtyard Suite (H category)
• You can count seven umbrellas at the top, find the fourth one from the left, then three more, and look straight down between two black windows
• Right above us was the Haven restaurant
• Below that was the Garden Cafe buffet

The buffet being at the front of the ship was different from our past experiences. Usually buffets are at the back. We were basically sandwiched between restaurants but never heard any noise from them.

Our balcony had a private section that was about four feet deep with two chairs and a table. Then it extended out to a larger balcony area. Looking up from our balcony, we could see the Haven restaurant window and the Vibe Beach Club at the very top.

We compared our current dock position with where other ships park. The Carnival Legend looked much smaller when it came into the same spot compared to where the Quantum of the Seas was docked. Our ship looked like a skyscraper sitting in port.

Our Haven Retreat on Norwegian Bliss

Premium Room Features and Comfort

We stayed in a Haven Courtyard Suite H category on deck 17. Our room was located between two black windows when viewed from outside the ship. If you count seven umbrellas from the top and find the fourth one from the left, then look straight down, that’s where we were.

The balcony setup was really nice. The first four feet were private, with two chairs and a table. Beyond that, we had an extended balcony area that gave us plenty of space.

What made our room special:

• Complete silence throughout the cruise
• Never heard chair scraping or footsteps
• No noise from the restaurants above or below us
• Private balcony section plus extended outdoor space

We were sandwiched between the Haven restaurant above us and the Garden Cafe buffet below. Even with restaurants on both sides, we never heard a single sound. The whole cruise was completely quiet, which made for a wonderful experience.

From our balcony, we could look up and see the Haven restaurant window. At the very top was the Vibe Beach Club, which is a paid exclusive area. We never saw anyone up there during our trip.

We would highly recommend this room category to anyone looking for peace and quiet on their cruise.

Our Haven Restaurant Experience

The Haven restaurant sits right above the balcony rooms. Our table happened to be directly above our own balcony room, which wasn’t planned but worked out nicely.

Every time we walked into the restaurant, they greeted us by name. They took us to our table right away. Our preferred table was available about 90% of the time.

Breakfast at the Haven restaurant:

• French press coffee served in a cool pot that stayed on our table
• Waffles with whipped cream and fruit on the sides, plus syrup
• Classic egg breakfast with fluffy scrambled eggs, pork link sausage, and breakfast potatoes
• Fresh berries and cinnamon rolls from the buffet

The restaurant never felt crowded. We came back from Insanada one afternoon and they had just closed, which was disappointing. But the Haven restaurant also offers a snack menu with items like burgers, chicken Caesar wraps, and fries.

Private Haven Spaces and Perks

The Haven area includes several exclusive spots that stayed quiet throughout our cruise. The Haven sundeck is located at the very top of the ship. On the starboard side in the front, there’s a smoking section and a spa jacuzzi. On the other side are clamshell chairs and another spa area that’s non-smoking.

The Haven bar was always available when we wanted drinks. We stopped there after returning from port when the restaurant had closed.

Deck layout above our room:

• Deck above us: Haven restaurant
• Higher up: Garden Cafe buffet (front of ship instead of back, which was different from our past experiences)
• Even higher: Observation lounge with bar, food, tons of seating
• Deck 15: Forward part of Garden Cafe sharing the same windows
• Above that: Horizon lounge stretching all the way across
• Top level: Owner suites with balconies (one on either side)

We never heard noise from any of these areas. The whole Haven experience gave us privacy and quiet spaces whenever we wanted them.

Activities On Board

Racing on the Go-Kart Track

We noticed the go-kart track sticking out over the edge of the ship when we looked up from the port. The track sits at the top of the Norwegian Bliss. We could see it clearly from our spot in Ensenada.

The water slide also sticks out over the edge next to the track.

Garden Cafe Buffet and Dining Spots

The Garden Cafe buffet sits at the front of the ship on the Norwegian Bliss. Most buffets we’ve been on before were at the back of the ship. This was different for us.

Our room was right below the Haven restaurant and above the Garden Cafe. We never heard any noise from either place. No footsteps or chair scraping sounds came through at any time during our trip.

Our dining setup:

• Haven restaurant sits right above our balcony
• Garden Cafe buffet is below the Haven restaurant
• Both stayed quiet the whole cruise

We went to the Haven restaurant for lunch when we got back from port. They had just closed which made us sad. The restaurant never got crowded during our whole trip. Every time we walked in, staff greeted us by name and took us to our table. Our table was available about 90% of the time.

We ordered French press coffee one morning at the Haven restaurant. They brought us a cool French press pot to keep on our table while we drank our coffee. Christina ordered waffles with whipped cream and fruit on the sides. She had to add some syrup. We also ordered a classic egg breakfast with fluffy scrambled eggs, pork link sausage, and breakfast potatoes. We went over to the buffet and got some berries and a cinnamon roll.

When the Haven restaurant closed at lunch time, we went to get a drink at the Haven Bar. Then we planned to go into the general areas of the ship to find lunch. They had a snack menu at the bar. The menu had almost the same items as lunch. They offered:

• Burger
• Chicken Caesar wrap
• Fries

We ordered our food from that menu.

Viewing Areas and Public Spaces

The observation lounge sits right above the bridge on deck 15. This big public lounge has a bar inside. Food was available there too. The lounge had tons of seating.

Right above the observation lounge is the forward part of the Garden Cafe. That area shares the same windows as the lounge.

The Horizon Lounge sits above the Garden Cafe. It goes all the way across the ship.

Above the Horizon Lounge, you can see balconies. We think that’s the owner suite on that side. There are two of them, one on each side of the ship.

The Haven sundeck is at the very top. On the starboard side at the very front is the smoking section and a spa jacuzzi. On the other side are some clamshell chairs and another spa area that’s non-smoking.

The Vibe Beach Club sits at the very top when you look up from our balcony. This is a paid exclusive area. We never saw anybody up there during our whole cruise.

We could see the Haven restaurant window from our balcony when we looked up. Our balcony had a private section for about the first four feet with two chairs and a table. Then it opened up to an extended large balcony area.

Our Time in Ensenada

Crossing the Port Bridge

We docked in Ensenada and noticed something different right away. The area under the bridge was completely filled with water. This was unusual because most times it’s pretty empty with just a little bit of water, some tires, and mud. The full water made everything look much nicer.

We’ve walked across this bridge many times before. We’ve filmed videos from different spots around it. The bridge connects the port area to the main part of town where the big Mexican flag is located.

From our room, we could see the “Puerto de Ensenada” sign. We noticed they put up flags everywhere for our ship’s arrival. The area looked really nice compared to other times we’ve visited.

Stopping at Bar Andaluz

We headed over to Bar Andaluz later in the day. The place doesn’t open until around noon because they serve alcohol and most people don’t drink that early. Since it was Saturday, we figured some places might open earlier.

Our experience at Bar Andaluz:

• We ordered margaritas
• The margaritas tasted good
• They were out of nachos
• They were out of most other food items

We weren’t thrilled about them being out of so much food. But we enjoyed our drinks and the view of the port area. We could see the ship from where we sat.

What We Saw Around Town

We walked around the port area and downtown Ensenada. The water level in the channel was much higher than usual. We saw police quads parked near the bridge. There was also a Segway tour group making their way through the area.

Ships in port that day:

Ship Name	Size
Norwegian Bliss	Large
Carnival Panorama	Very large, like a skyscraper

The Carnival Panorama looked huge compared to other ships we’ve seen at this same spot. It was around 2:30 PM and both ships were still docked.

We walked past the big Mexican flag on our way back. The bridge walkway gave us good views of both the flag and our ship. We decided to head back on board to relax for the rest of the day.

Eating Options on the Norwegian Bliss

O’Sheehan’s Bar and Round-the-Clock Dining

We never heard a single person, chair scrape, footstep, or anything the entire cruise. This was the last day and it was completely quiet. Very nice experience.

The ship stayed quiet even though we were sandwiched between restaurants. We never heard any noise, scraping, or footsteps from the dining areas above and below our room.

Special Restaurant Selections

The Haven Restaurant

We had access to the Haven restaurant right above our balcony. It has never once been crowded. Every time we walked in there, they greeted us by name and took us to our table.

Our table was available about 90% of the time. It happened to be right above our balcony room. We didn’t think that was planned, but it worked out that way.

When we came back from Insanada, we were hungry. We went upstairs to the Haven restaurant and they just closed, which was sad. The restaurant probably opens for lunch later in the day.

Haven Snack Menu

They have a snack menu at the Haven Bar. The menu is basically the same stuff they have at lunch, but not exactly. Here’s what they offer:

• Burger
• Chicken Caesar wrap
• Fries

We decided to get a drink at the Haven Bar after missing the restaurant closing time. We were trying to figure out what we were going to have for lunch.

In-Room Delivery and Cafeteria Options

Sit-Down Breakfast Service

We just ordered a French press coffee and got this cool little French press pot to stay on our table while we enjoyed our coffee. We also ordered breakfast items.

We got waffles with some whipped cream on top, whipped cream with some fruit on the sides, and some syrup. The other order was a classic egg breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage, and breakfast potatoes.

Classic Egg Breakfast included:

• Very fluffy scrambled eggs
• Pork link sausage
• Breakfast potatoes

We also went over to the buffet and got some berries and a cinnamon roll. That was super quick service.

Garden Cafe Buffet

The Garden Cafe buffet is in the front of the ship. Normally buffets in our experience have been in the back of the ship, so that was kind of interesting.

We also never heard anything from the buffet. We were kind of sandwiched between restaurants and it’s been very quiet.

When you look up at the ship from port, you can see the forward part of the Garden Cafe, which sort of shares those windows with the observation lounge below it.

Comparing Our Two Ships

Norwegian Bliss vs. Carnival Legend

We wanted to show you how different these two ships look when they’re docked in the same spot. The Norwegian Bliss is massive compared to the Carnival Legend. When we saw the Legend pull into this port on our last trip, she looked so small next to the Quantum where the friends is docked.

The Bliss looks like a skyscraper sitting in the harbor. We’re going to include some side-by-side footage so you can really see the difference between the two ships.

Ship Features and Layout

The Bliss has some unique features that stand out. The go-kart track sticks over the edge of the ship. The water slide also hangs over the side.

We stayed in a Haven Courtyard Suite on deck 17. Our room was between two black windows when you look up from the port. If you count seven umbrellas from the top and go four from the left, then three more, we’re right below those.

The ship layout puts restaurants in different spots than we’re used to. The Garden Cafe buffet sits at the front of the ship. Most ships we’ve been on have the buffet at the back.

Our room was sandwiched between the Haven restaurant above us and the buffet below us. We never heard any noise from either one. No chair scraping, no footsteps, nothing. It was completely quiet the entire cruise until the last day.

What’s Above Our Room:

• Haven restaurant (greets us by name every time)
• Garden Cafe buffet
• Observation lounge on deck 15 with a bar and food
• Forward part of Garden Cafe
• Horizon lounge
• Owner suites with balconies
• Haven sun deck at the very top

The starboard side has a smoking section and a spa jacuzzi up front. The other side has clamshell chairs and a non-smoking spa area.

We also have the Vibe Beach Club at the top. This is a paid exclusive area. We never saw anyone up there during our whole trip.

Docking and Shore Visits

We docked at a different spot than we normally do in Ensenada. The little shops that used to be here are long gone. But you can still see the signs and sculptures we recognize.

The bridge that leads into town is right by the big flag. The water in the channel was completely filled up this time. Usually it’s pretty empty with some tires and mud at the bottom. It even has a bit of a smell when it’s low. But this visit, it looked nice and full.

They put flags up all over for the Bliss. They really went all out this time compared to when the Legend was here.

We could walk straight across to Bar Andaluz instead of going over the far bridge like we did last time. That made getting there much easier.

The tide was going out when we walked back. We saw a Segway tour happening nearby. We think we passed those same people at Bar Andaluz when we were leaving.

Entertainment and Activities on Board

Crew Members and Hospitality

The service throughout our cruise was excellent. Every time we walked into the Haven restaurant, the staff greeted us by name and took us to our table. The restaurant was never crowded during our trip. Our table was available about 90% of the time we wanted to eat there.

Our room stayed completely quiet the entire cruise. We never heard a single chair scrape, footstep, or any noise from above or below us. This was impressive because our room was sandwiched between two restaurants. The Haven restaurant was right above us, and the Garden Cafe buffet was below.

When we ordered French press coffee at breakfast, the staff brought us a nice French press pot to keep at our table while we enjoyed our drinks. The service felt personal and attentive throughout the week.

Gaming Facilities Experience

We didn’t visit the casino or gambling areas during our trip, so we don’t have any information to share about those spaces.

Memorable Events and Experiences

We had several cool moments watching the ship dock and leave port. The bridge cam in our room gave us a great view of the area. We could see the bridge we had walked across before and the Porto de Ensenada sign from our window.

One morning while watching the bridge cam, we spotted a guy down below putting up flags all over the dock. The port went all out for the Bliss visit. They filled up the water in the channel and decorated with flags everywhere.

Special Room Features:

• Private balcony section about four feet deep with two chairs and a table
• Extended balcony area beyond that
• Bridge cam TV showing the port view
• Located on deck 17 in Haven Courtyard Suite H category

The forward observation lounge on deck 15 was a big public space worth checking out. It had:

• A bar with service
• Food available for guests
• Tons of seating options
• Large windows with great views

We spotted another cruise ship docked nearby called the Carnival Legend. It looked tiny compared to where our friends were staying on the Quantum. The Quantum looked like a skyscraper sitting in port.

When we went back to the Haven restaurant after our shore visit, they had just closed. That was disappointing. But the Haven Bar was still open, so we grabbed drinks there before heading to other dining areas on the ship. The Haven had a snack menu with burgers, chicken Caesar wraps, and fries available between regular meal times.

Heading Back and Final Thoughts

Getting Back to Our Room

We watched from our bridge cam as the ship docked in Ensenada. The view was really cool as we left port. The bridge was completely filled with water, which was different from usual when it’s often empty and has a bit of a smell.

We could see the Puerto de Ensenada sign and Bar Andaluz across the way. It was just past 10:00 when they started letting people off the ship. We decided to walk around the ship a bit and maybe grab breakfast before heading out since most places don’t open until noon.

We noticed someone putting flags up along the dock. They really went all out for the Bliss this time. We never heard a single noise from the Haven restaurant above us or the Garden Cafe buffet below us during the entire cruise. No chair scraping, footsteps, or anything. It was completely quiet.

We ordered French press coffee that came in a cool pot for our table. We got waffles with whipped cream and fruit, plus a classic egg breakfast with scrambled eggs, pork sausage, and breakfast potatoes. We also grabbed berries and a cinnamon roll from the buffet while enjoying our view of Ensenada.

What We Thought About This Trip

Our room was on deck 17 in the Haven Courtyard Suite. We would highly recommend it. The Haven restaurant was right above us, and it was never crowded. Every time we walked in, they greeted us by name and took us to our table. Our preferred table was available about 90% of the time.

Our table in the restaurant happened to be right above our balcony room. We never heard any noise from it. The Garden Cafe buffet was below us, which was interesting since buffets are usually at the back of the ship in our experience. We never heard anything from that either.

Our balcony was private for the first four feet with two chairs and a table. Then it extended out to a larger balcony area. When we looked up, we could see the Haven restaurant window and the Vibe Beach Club at the very top. We never saw anyone up there during our cruise.

We walked over to Bar Andaluz, which was much easier than our previous trip when we went over the far bridge. This time we knew to just walk straight there from where the ship docked. We noticed police quads parked nearby and a Segway tour happening across the way.

What Future Cruisers Should Know

The Haven restaurant has a snack menu that’s basically the same as their lunch menu. They have burgers, chicken Caesar wraps, and fries available. If the restaurant closes before you get there, you can still get drinks at the Haven Bar and check out the snack menu.

The location between the Haven restaurant and Garden Cafe buffet was surprisingly quiet. We were worried about noise at first, but it turned out perfect.

Room location tips:

• Deck 17 Haven Courtyard Suite was very quiet
• Never heard noise from restaurants above or below
• Easy access to Haven amenities
• Private and extended balcony areas

The observation lounge on deck 15 has tons of seating, a bar, and food available. Right above that is the forward part of the Garden Cafe. The horizon lounge goes all the way across above that level.

When we went to Bar Andaluz, they had margaritas but were out of nachos and most other items. It wasn’t the best experience, but we still enjoyed the margarita. We headed back to the ship around 2:30 to relax for the rest of the trip.

The Norwegian Bliss looked impressive from the walkway. We could see the whole ship from the bridge area with the big Mexican flag behind us. We decided to head back on board, grab some food and drinks at the Haven, and really relax for the remainder of our cruise.