A short west-coast trip, great to escape the daily grind and have nothing to worry about for a bit

Item: Norwegian Joy
Rating: 4.5
Author: mgribov

Norwegian Joy Cruise Review to Coastal - West Coast

mgribov

Contributor Level: Third Mate

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 9

Helpful Votes: 68

Overall rating:

4.5 out of 5

Norwegian Joy Inagural

Sail date: April 26, 2019

Ship: Norwegian Joy

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 10748

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

A great way to disconnect and not have to worry (too much) about what to eat or what to do, a very relaxing experience. Ship has plenty of things to explore and experience. The internet connection could be better.

Embarkation

4 out of 5

Decided to board early, so the line was long, but was constantly moving, and going through security and checking in was fast.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

Really enjoyed Q BBQ restaurant. The buffet was good quality and variety. Mostly ate various seafood throughout my trip, and was never disappointed. The District brewhouse has a wide selection of craft beer.

Garden Cafe

4 out of 5

Good variety, seafood was good, indian buffet was somewhat limited but was also pretty good. Can be hard to find a seat.

Observation Lounge

5 out of 5

Excellent views, can actually be pretty quiet during day time. Has a Starbucks and a bar

The District Brew House

4 out of 5

Good selection of craft beers, i believe all domestic.

Q Texas Smokehouse

4 out of 5

The grillmaster (i believe thats the name..) plate is a lot of food, great sample of pretty much everything you can order. Good BBQ, definitely would go back.

Cagney's Steakhouse

5 out of 5

My fish was very good, great view, its all the way aft, so can really see the wake

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

Played some VR games at Galaxy Pavilion, my favorite was the race car simulator which allows multiple players to race each other, but it was relatively hard.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Really enjoyed Elements. Sit close to the stage if you can.

Galaxy Pavilion

4 out of 5

My favorite was the VR racing simulator which allows you to play against other players. Also tried the kite simulator, but that one made me a little dizzy.

Children's Programs

did not travel with children

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Was excellent, everyone very helpful and polite.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Everything was perfectly clean. The ship is very large, and takes some time to remember the layout. Easier to take stairs between adjacent decks with dining/activities on them. A good number of areas to get away from crowds and cozy up with a laptop or a book if you'd like. Protip: small fish on the carpet on stateroom decks are swimming towards the front (forward) of the ship.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

The cabin was perfectly clean, very comfortable for 2 people. Bed was comfortable, shower had good water pressure. TV had a bunch of new release movies. Has a mini-fridge. There isn't really a desk/office area if you plan on working at sea.