Just got off the Joy

Item: Norwegian Joy
Rating: 4.3
Author: MuscCruise

Norwegian Joy Cruise Review

MuscCruise

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Reviews: 4

Helpful Votes: 70

Overall rating:

4.3 out of 5

7 Night Bermuda & Atlantic Coast (New York Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 05, 2022

Ship: Norwegian Joy

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 15842

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 2 years ago

Review summary

Overall a fantastic time. Especially because we went with the flow the whole cruise. Came in handy last day of sail especially when one of the engines stopped working. We just went up to Vibe and made the best of it until we were given info from the Captain.

Embarkation

4 out of 5

We got to the port very early and had to wait around but this is one of those things with cruising. You want to give yourself plenty of time so you aren’t late. We did hit pre-Marathon shut down so this would’ve been a nightmare to deal with if we left later. Especially because there was no forewarning (thanks City of NY)

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Food was pretty delicious overall. I think they put something in it though as we ate til we were stuffed then were always hungry a few hours later 😂

The Cavern Club

3 out of 5

Very small venue and not a lot of seating so make sure you get here early. We saw several people who walked with canes and such who either ended up leaving or it took awhile for anyone to notice them to give a seat. It is basically standing room only.

Observation Lounge

4 out of 5

Didn’t spend a ton of time here but did go a few times in the early afternoon for light snacks and finger foods like cheese and small sandwiches.Also would go in the evening for a cup of tea.Definitely got super packed on sea days when the weather was crappy so plan accordingly.

Q Texas Smokehouse

4 out of 5

We payed a la carte for one appetizer each here to watch the country show. You can use your dining package though but food is super cheap otherwise. I think it was $20 for the two of us and the appetizers were very filling. We didn’t want to be stuffed for the Beatles show after in the main theater so it worked out great.

Food Republic

4 out of 5

Was pleasantly surprised we could use our specialty dining package here. We each ordered 4 items plus dessert and it was easy to split and more than enough food for 2 adults and a teen who had no dining package.We like sushi and Asian fusion so it was definitely something different from the norm on a cruise ship.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

We didn’t participate in a ton of things but there was always something going on all over the ship from the morning till late night. We liked the touch of the country band but it was always the same set of songs unfortunately.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

See my above comment. There is always something to do on this ship at any hour.

Children's Programs

4 out of 5

Took my son to Entourage as soon as we boarded ship and he made a ton of friends we didn’t see him throughout cruise 😂.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

As always staff all over were great. Special shout out to Chris Alias and his crew in the Vibe Beach club. We also each got a hot stone mani pedi in the spa. A little pricey but we always treat ourselves to one spa experience.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

Ship tip

Book the Vibe Beach Club if the weather will be decent. So much space, great bartender Chris Alias and crew and you can actually get to spend time in the hot tubs. The main pool deck is tiny and loud and chaotic and Spice H2O is also small and primarily geared to smokers or kids/teens using the hot tub after 7pm. Also a great alternative for lack of thermal spa on this ship.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Royal Naval Dockyard, West End, Bermuda

4 out of 5

Be mindful that the ferry will eat up a lot of time and last sail leaves early. We went on the caves tour which was okay but if you’ve seen one cave somewhere you’ve probably seen them all 😂. We took a $7 van to Horseshoe Bay and hiked the trails and took a ton of beautiful pics since it was not a beach day overall. There is a small beach that is walking distance to the ship if you like as well.

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New York, New York

3 out of 5

Disembarkation

1 out of 5

I don’t think this was the fault of NCL per se but this was worse disembarkment experience we’ve ever had and have sailed out of NY before and after Covid. Our driver had to wait 2 hours past our expected time to get off the ship because they closed the terminal/customs area down due to overcrowding. We ended up having to pay extra $$ to our driver who was going around in circles since you cannot wait at the terminal. Have to rethink how to handle this for next time.

6 Comments

byhisgrace 2 years ago

Thanks for your review

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Gwbigdog 2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise

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MuscCruise 2 years ago

Vibe beach club is a private outdoor area with bar, comfy lounge chairs with cushions and 2 big hot tubs. They also provide fruit and very light snacks. The buffet is 2 decks below though so we would bring up a charcuterie plate on some days. Made nachos from nacho bar in buffet on last day. You can book in advance. It’s around $200 per person for the week. Entry via your key card. I would only book if you expect to have good weather. I wouldn’t do it for a cruise with multiple cold weather days.

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KruisingK8ty 2 years ago

What’s the vibe beach club all about? Do you have to book in advance? Is it included or an up charge? Thanks in advance for the response!

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javawoody 2 years ago

Thanks for sharing

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AuntPinkie 2 years ago

Appreciate your details. Sounds like a wonderful adventure in spite of some hiccups. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

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Other reviews of this sailing

A little Rusty, regained my “sea legs”

Too much expensive ship time

Great Vibe on the Joy!