This was a relaxing cruise on a great ship. I am not a new cruiser so I take most bumps in stride. There are a few issues that they need to work out in the Haven for the price you pay but overall, I would do it again.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Arrived at the ship at 10:30, through registration by 10:40 and on the ship at 11 am.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
While the Haven has its own restaurant the menu is the same every night and does not have specials like the MDR. As a mainly fish lover, I chose to venture around the ship. I did not eat in the MDR but I ate in both Taste (Broiled Blue Fish) and Savor (Hoki), Teppanyaki (scallops), Ocean Blue, The Local (breakfast and the cod sandwich), and Q Texas. The only disappointment was Q Texas. I will admit BBQ is subjective based on where you live but when you stack Q up against the other restaurants, it just isn't worth the upcharge. At Q the country music was great. It is a better place to have a drink and listen to good music. Every restaurant had great service- always listen to your servers - they will steer you right with dinner choices. I had lunch at the buffet once (craving pizza and salad) it was good and an amazing assortment of foods. The Observation Lounge is a hidden gem for light meals and snacks.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Do the race track- they have beginner's hours- watch your daily schedule. The adult-only pool is a nice addition. However, it is impossible to get a chair on the pool deck or the deck above it. No one was monitoring the chair hogs. The thermal suite on a port day was well worth it. Steam and dry sauna, polar plunge pool, sensory chairs, snow room, hot tub, and amazing views. The fitness center is small and busy on sea days but you can navigate if motivated. The non-smoking casino was perfect. Despite there being a kid's program, children's pool, slide, and splash pad, the Haven pools were overrun with children. There were even little kids with floaties on in the hot tub without parents. That needs to be monitored. The Haven sundeck (16 and above) was a welcome reprieve but it would have been nice to be able to sit at the indoor pool even for a few adult-only hours each day.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Comedy was hit and miss- mostly miss. Elements was okay but not wow. They did rely heavily on game shows and bingo. I would suggest checking out Zoe on the piano at the District Brew Pub, and the smaller duos and bands tucked around the ship. Those choices I found much better.
Children's Programs
No kids, solo cruiser
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone I encountered was top-notch. My room steward Dell, Butler Rex went out of their way to make this cruise (birthday/retirement) very special. And as this is my 28th cruise (since the 1980s), it takes a bit. Irene and Kai in the Haven Bar, Antonetta in the salon, JM (cruise director staff) leading the solo traveler's group, Kommang (server in Taste), and Joakim in the District were all phenomenal.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This was my first time on the Joy. It was fairly easy to navigate, it had a new ship feel (dry dock refurbished in January 2024), but with a bit of old cruising elegance. You frequently saw cruise staff wiping railings, and cleaning windows, everything was spotless. The pool deck is a bit odd in its layout and congestion but as it was not originally designed for the US market, it makes sense.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This is the first time I have stayed in a Haven cabin outside of the Haven but there was no difference in the excellent level of service. From this forward cabin, it was an easy 3 decks up to the Haven Lounge, Restaurant, Haven pools, and sundeck. The cabin was clean, bright, and spacious, and the large balcony with a lounger, chairs, and table was perfect. There were outlets by the bed, desk, and dining area. Also, there were USB ports in the bedside lamps.
Ship tip
Familiarize yourself as much as you can before you go. There are social media sites where the menus are published, the "Dailies" are published- neither change greatly. Read the fine print in everything you receive from NCL, and listen to your servers for food choices.
This was my 5th trip (in 28 years) back to Bermuda. It is nice to see how the Dockyard has been built up. Have a drink or a light bite at the Frog and Onion or Bonefish Grill. The beach at the dockyard is a nice way to spend your last day- do it on your own and it will be much cheaper than with the cruise line. The sailing/snorkel tours were good.
This one was a bit bumpy. Normally when you have priority disembarkation, you are escorted off the ship and down to the luggage area. This time it was just a priority elevator down and then you were with everyone else standing in lines to get into the terminal. Not a huge deal but not what have experienced on other cruises.
We cruised on the Joy May of 2023 and had the same experience I the Haven Courtyard and pool. We complained to the crew who told us there was nothing they could do. We also complained to NCL corporate who told me the crew is fully empowered to handle such situations. Very interesting to see that over a year later things have not changed
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