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The Ultimate Joyride
Find your happy place on board Norwegian Joy when she cruises from the Mexican Riviera to Panama Canal. Or join her in The Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda from Miami, New York, Orlando, and Jamaica. Enjoy a rush like no other as you race in the middle of the ocean on a thrilling two–level race track. Immerse yourself in all the wonder of a virtual world in the Galaxy Pavilion. Be pampered in luxury in our spacious and beautifully appointed accommodations. Enjoy holiday experiences that will delight your senses and calm your soul on Norwegian Joy.
This was the first cruise ever for my wife and me, so we didn't know what to expect. Also, keep in mind we have no cruise experience to reference or compare to. I did so much research on forums like this, social media, YouTube videos, etc., to try to make informed decisions when we booked this cruise, and what I found is that some of these reviews are now laughable after I reflect on our experience. I know everyone's experience is unique and different, but any review that says "never again" or that the food was "inedible," well, just disregard those in my opinion. Embarkation - I feel like we may have just lucked out here. Our check-in time was 11:30, but I did not know exactly what to expect, so we arrived early, around 10:30. We gave our checked bags to the porter and gave him $10 as a tip. We walked right into the terminal and stood in a queue for about 10 minutes, showed our passports, and walked directly to the check-in desk. We got our cruise cards and papers and walked right on the ship. I am guessing this is not normal, but it was so smooth. The only complaint I have is that no one really explained the muster drill to us. Had I not watched YouTube videos, I would have been really confused about how to complete it. Service - The service on the ship was fantastic. I travel a lot for work and have had both great and miserable experiences when it comes to service. My wife and I thought the service was fantastic on all parts of the ship, from people collecting plates in the buffet to the wonderful bartenders (special shout out to Anel at the Cavern Club and Will in the Vibe), and especially our room steward. It really blows my mind how people on the ship can remember you by name with all the passengers onboard. This was constant, and I was very impressed. Cabin - Our cabin was club level with a large balcony. I would probably not have spent the extra money for the club balcony, but the price of our cruise dropped, so we took the upgrade for no cost to us. I was a bit worried that I would regret upgrading to being on the 8th deck with a balcony where all the people above us could watch us, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much we loved it. The large balcony was great with a table, two chairs, and 2 loungers. Also, the larger bathroom with a nice walk-in shower was great. The rooms are not large by any means, but adequate with plenty of storage to put your stuff away. The bed was not the same as our bed at home, but we did not expect a $5k mattress in each room, and it was plenty comfortable for us. We did get a paper copy of the Freestyle Daily which was appreciated and towel animals each day which were pretty cool. Dining - This is the area I was most apprehensive about after reading so many reviews and social media posts. Everyone has different tastes, but my wife and I thought the food was great. My biggest surprises were the buffet and the main dining rooms. Was the buffet a bit chaotic? Sure, it was. Was it the best food I have ever eaten? No, it was not. I will say that anyone who says the food is horrible or inedible is either misleading or their expectations may be a bit too high. My guess also is that maybe the food quality has decreased over the years, and that may explain some of the complaints as well. The food is of good quality, and there is a decent amount of variety. To be honest, what I was most unimpressed with were the Specialty restaurants. We ate at Le Bistro, Cagneys, Teppenyaki, and Food Republic. My wife and I discussed it after the cruise, and we both would have been fine eating in the Manhattan room (MDR) all week. For the difference in price, I just did not feel like the Specialty restaurants were as superior to the MDR as I had hoped. But if you do go to Le Bistro, try the Mushroom soup. It was delicious. We also tried the Local and the American Diner which were both decent but not great. Entertainment - I will be honest, the entertainment was, well, not as entertaining as I had hoped. The shows were fun to see as long as they remain part of the cruise fare, but honestly, not that special to me. We did see the "Bring back the 90's" which was fun and "Wild Cards" which was something to do (although there was really no plot that I could follow). The one exception was that we got to see the Beatles' Revolution in the Joy Theater. That for me was the highlight of the entertainment. Disembarkation - Similar to embarkation, we have just gotten lucky. We put out our bags the night before, so we did not have to lug them around in the morning, and we had no rush to get to the airport. We got up, ate at one of the MDRs for breakfast (Taste, I think), and then walked around a bit until they called our color to disembark. I think we waited in line for about 10-15 minutes and then walked off the ship. We picked up our checked bags where they were supposed to be and then went through the queue that utilized facial recognition. The process was quick and streamlined. Ports - Only regret is that we tried to do too much and had long excursions each day. In hindsight, we probably could have skipped one of the excursions and just relaxed at the port or on the ship. Puerto Plata, DR - we did the Waterfall/Buggies/Monkeys excursion. It was raining heavily when we got to port, so the buggy portion was very limited, but at least we got to drive them, unlike some groups. We experienced so many people complaining that it got a bit frustrating. I honestly did not care about getting $20 back from the cruise line for the limited buggy portion, but for some people, this was a really big deal. People constantly want refunds for things outside of anyone's control. Just roll with it and have fun. You are vacation. St. Thomas - we took a ferry St. Johns and visited Trunk Bay. Beautiful beach. Then we took the hour we had left after the excursion to check out the shops and had a beer at a local brewery Leatherbacks which was great. Tortola - we took a ferry to Virgin Gorda for the Baths. This excursion was fun and the Baths were cool to see but really did not live up to the hype in my opinion. This was the excursion we would have skipped in hindsight. The actual port was typical but clean and fun to walk around in. Great Stirrup Cay - Glad we got to use the new dock as I have heard so many horror stories of this port getting skipped due to bad weather. We purchased the Vibe Shore Club here and it really was probably the best money we spent. The only issue is the logistics to get there were a bit hectic. We kept getting conflicting information on where exactly we were supposed to go and the trams were a bit overrun in the morning when we first got there. My recommendation is to walk straight to the excursion desk to get your wristbands and then walk past the lighthouse to the Vibe area to get your spot. They do have staff that will come to your lounger to get drink orders but honestly, we just walked the short distance to the bar and got drinks ourselves. This was much faster. One of the bartenders onboard the ship told us to expect slower service as with the new pool and Vibe club, they did not have the adequate staff to operate as well but Norwegian was working on this issue for the future. Overall: Vibe - we definitely enjoyed the Vibe Beach club on sea days. If you can afford it and you have more than 1 sea day, I would definitely do it. It is quiet and the service is phenomenal. Elevators - I have heard many complaints about the elevators but honestly they were not bad at all. Our rule was if we were going less than 4 floors, we would take the stairs. Dining - Don't be afraid of the dining options and try a bit of everything. There was some food (pizza in the buffet) that was not as good as it could be but overall we were very pleased with all of it. Coffee - Don't buy the Starbucks pass unless you have an addiction to their drinks. Lets face it, Starbucks is not what it used to be and really the coffee from the MDRs and the buffet is not bad. If you can stomach coffee from a major hotel brand, you will be delighted with the coffee on the ship. Observation Deck - spend some quiet time here. There are decent snacks, a bar, and plenty of quiet spots if you need to get away from crowds. Tipping - we tipped in cash throughout the cruise to our room steward, waitstaff, and bartenders. Probably went through $250 in tips. Whether you believe that gratuities go to the staff or not, I believe in tipping for good service. Probably why the staff remembered our names so well. If you are new to cruising, don't get too discouraged if you don't hit everything you want to do on the ship. We were really active and did not get to check out quite a few things like trivia and go karts. There is a lot to do on the ship. Try something like a wine tasting. We met another great couple and had a lot of fun. I think the only thing I would change on the ship is the internet situation and the NCL app itself. The internet speed was a bit slow which is to be expected. Coverage around the ship was good. My complaint is really the way they structure it to constantly remind you to buy more internet coverage. It felt a bit deceiving to me how you connect and disconnect and I had to help quite a few older passengers learn how to navigate it. The app is "OK" but really could use some improvement. **Overall, we had a great experience and will definitely try it again. I would have no issues sailing Norwegian Joy again.
The Haven
Hidden at the top of the ship, The Haven features our most luxurious, well-appointed accommodations as well as 24-hour butler service, concierge service and private sundeck.
Suite
Finished with the finest touches, spacious suites with luxury accommodations.
Club Balcony Suite
Whether it's the two of you or your family, our Club Balcony Suites are accented with the finest touches. And enough room to make memories forever.
Balcony
See the world like never before. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open to your very own private balcony. Stylish and sophisticated appointments enhance these modern rooms.
Oceanview
Experience comfort all around you. These stylish staterooms feature fine appointments, which are highlighted by nice touches and clear views of the ocean.
Inside
Relax in lively style and smart sophistication. Our modern inside staterooms are highlighted with appointments like a TV, sitting area and more.
COMPLIMENTARY DINING
Every cruise fare includes beautifully crafted menus in our three main dining rooms, a help-yourself buffet and a variety of casual cafés, grills and on-the-go choices. From fresh-baked breads, desserts and pastries to our chefs' original dishes made with the freshest ingredients, your dining can be as fine or fun as you want.
SPECIALITY DINING
Dining aboard Norwegian is about having choices. Enjoy delicious comfort foods as well as more exotic choices from our many speciality dining restaurants for a cover charge or á la carte. Whether it's a cheeseburger you have a desire for, or Coq au Vin, your dinner is ready when you are.
Listen and learn in a lecture held by a guest speaker, Norwegian Cruise Line ships have much to offer to enhance your learning and senses.
When it comes to entertainment on Norwegian Joy, you won't believe your eyes or even your ears. Get mesmerised by the awe-inspiring acrobatics in Elements, relive the iconic 80's movie Footloose on stage, or enjoy sensational wines along with the characters of Wine Lovers the Musical. On Norwegian Joy it's showtime, all the time.
When you want some "me" time, look no further than Mandara Spa®. Relax with a hot-stone massage, one of over 50 speciality treatments offered. At our onboard spas, treatments range from the classic to the luxurious. Let our pampering professionals soothe and rejuvenate you with facials, massages, acupuncture and a full menu of services.
There is plenty onboard to keep children entertained.
