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Wonderful Way to see the West Coast!

Norwegian Joy Cruise Review to Coastal - West Coast

Cruises: 2-3 cruises
Reviews: 15
Helpful Votes: 270

Overall rating:

4.5 out of 5
Norwegian Joy

Norwegian Joy Inagural

Sail date: April 26, 2019

Ship: Norwegian Joy

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 10752

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

Norwegian Joy was a fun ship and trip. Delicious food, every drink imaginable, fun activities and shows that keep your interest. I would recommend this ship to everyone from retired couples to families, there is something for everyone!

Embarkation

4 out of 5
Pretty painless, there were some lines but we got there right when we could board as we couldn't wait to see the ship! Other passengers that went later said there around 1ish did not experience any lines. Everyone was very pleasant.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
The bbq restaurant, Q, was very good. Make sure you try the ribs, sides and corn bread with a peach margarita. Normally, I don't like buffets but the Garden Grill had everything it was fresh and tasty. Make sure you visit on the seafood buffet day. I went to the Local Cafe which is open 24 hours! I went for sit down breakfast and lunch. The Watermelon Greek Salad and the white bean turkey chilli were standouts as was the tortilla bowl and the country platter for breakfast had everything you could as for and more. Food Republic had yummy firecracker shrimp, dumplings and green tea dessert were standouts. The sake and sushi, were great too. American Diner had comfort food, burgers, bbq, onion rings, nachos and lobsters rolls were my favs.

Q Texas Smokehouse

5 out of 5

Great BBQ, sides, cornbread and desserts. In addition, the peach margarita is delicious

Sugarcane Mojito Bar

5 out of 5

Best mojito I have ever had!!!

The Local Bar & Grill

5 out of 5

Open 24/7 and great food at sit down restaurant. For those who aren't crazy about buffets, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5
The pools were a little small and the hot tubs were cold. I wish it had been warmer to have tried the slide. Make sure to bring closed toed shoes if you want to race the cars.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
You have to see Footloose. I was so good and so much fun. I sang along and really enjoyed the performances.

Children's Programs

I didn't bring my 16-year-old son however he would have loved the activities. From the race track to the virtual reality games and laser tag, there was a lot to choose from for fun!

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
Everyone was very helpful and kind. The steward opened the door for me when I was carrying too much. You were always greeted with hellos and big smiles from the staff.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5
It took a few days to get acclimated to the layout. I never could figure out which elevator was closest to the room. Register early for dinners and activities. There are areas posted throughout the ship, which are very helpful. Look at the hallway rug, fish swim forward toward front of ship.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
I loved the room. Nice comfy bed with new movies playing on TV. I was very surprised by the size of the bathroom. It was very large.

Ship tip

make reservations for the dinners, shows and activities as soon as you can. I really wanted to try Ocean Blue restaurant & Teppayanki but couldn't get in because there weren't any openings.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia

5 out of 5
Vancouver was beautiful. I arrived at the airport at noon however it took a while (about 30 minutes) to go thru customs. There are lots of great places to eat from food trucks to restaurants. I had the best oysters ever there and that says a lot as I'm from Florida.
Thumbs Up

San Pedro (Los Angeles), California

3 out of 5
I did not have a good experience at this port. It is located in an industrial area and there really was not much to do or see. We were put under a huge tent to wait for our Lyft driver.
Thumbs Up

Disembarkation

4 out of 5
We exited the ship pretty quickly.
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9 Comments

wgammon1    4 years ago

It sounds like you had a great time. Thanks for the great review and the beautiful photos.
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cruisereckoning    4 years ago

Thanks for the review
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CruiselineMich    5 years ago

@ajoker 31 I think it varies. Our trip it was the 2nd day. Check the daily newsletter or just ask at Garden Cafe, everyone is so friendly!
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ajoker31    5 years ago

Thanks for the great review! Does the ship announce what day is “seafood day” at the buffet?
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CruiselineMich    5 years ago

@cruisegirl2 I believe it varies but we were able to board ship @ 10 AM and we did. We had breakfast and mimosas and it wasn't crowded, yet. In addition, we signed up for all the dinners, activities and shows! Everyone had to be on board by 3 pm. Some friends of ours wanted to see Vancouver as it's beautiful but we were so excited to see the ship. Make sure you check your itinerary. We had a great time as I'm sure you will. I look forward to reading your review when you get back.
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CruiselineMich    5 years ago

@mousejunkie I think it varies. Our trip it was the 2nd day. Check the daily newsletter or just ask at Garden Cafe, everyone is so friendly! You will enjoy it. I won't tell you how many times I went back for more! The oysters were shucked for you, the crab and lobster were already cracked for you so easy access to the good meat :-) and the shrimp were huge. Make sure you post photos when you get back, I was too busy eating to take photos.
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WileyE    5 years ago

Nice review. Thanks.😁
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mousejunkie    5 years ago

What night was you seafood buffet?
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Cruisergirl2    5 years ago

Can you tell me what time you were allowed to board the ship in Vancouver? It sounds like you had a great trip.
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