Sigyn

I compare this change to if my housekeeper stopped coming to my home and instead, a random housekeeper showed up each week. They wouldn't know my personal preferences and how I like things done. It would be far less personalized service and more generalized, such as at a hotel when you only stay for one night. I've only sailed on Celebrity once, and in a sky suite, and our butler got to know our preferences quickly but it took about 15 minutes of questions and back-and-forth information being exchanged until he understood what mattered most to us and what didn't. Unless the butler team takes copious notes and each butler references those notes the moment a passenger calls for service, then  it's simply not going to be personalized and feel even close to being the same as before. 

8 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I have two.  I much prefer the smoother ride over a bit better control...

Agreed. Just bought my first Lexus, coming from a Volvo, and I utterly love it. Touchpad? Who cares when you're wrapped in comfort. (altho I think it's better than the Volvo's.)

As for the butlers, my tax for posting here just to talk about Lexus, I am not happy at all with this change. We disembarked from our first Celebrity cruise on July 14 and it was in a sky suite. I very much liked the personal attention from our butler. One time when I called him, another butler answered. He wasn't as good and couldn't get my laundry request straight. I honestly don't want to book in The Retreat again if that's going to be my future experience. I have already booked my next cruise on NCL in The Haven, thank goodness. 

7 hours ago, johnrich said:

Maybe I missed a post, but from what I read they are only adding 24 balcony cabins. The other cabins they are just reclassifying. I guess I’m confused about all the people complaining about “so many more people” on the ship now. I honestly don’t think that I would notice an extra 48 people (even 96 people if there were 4 in every one of the new cabins which you know isn’t going to happen). Granted I will miss part of the OL but I don’t think I’ll miss it that much. On our cruise in May, we pretty much had free rein of the OL. It was never crowded. Now Alaska will probably be different but there will now be 48 people watching the glaciers from their balconies instead of the OL.
And on another topic, I am so happy that the Joy is getting the thermal suite. 

Agreed on the new passenger count.

We'll be on the Joy for a spring break cruise in March 2024. My teenage son will be 5% less happy because there is no laser tag or galaxy pavilion but I will be 50% happier because there is a thermal spa, so it's a win as far as I'm concerned.

There were no Vibe passes available on the Prima for our December 2022 cruise once we boarded, and they were all sold out online, too. 

5 hours ago, vacation44 said:

Yes, all the main amenities were taken away from the non Haven Suites on the Joy in November 2021.   We had one booked which when we booked included all of the amenities including a butler.   Then without any notice they took the amenities away.   After a few emails back and forth, we received $200 OBC.   We ended up upgrading ourselves directly to the Haven (non bid) and got to keep the OBC.

That must have been really disappointing. Particularly since the other ships still offer a butler in non-Haven suites, if I'm reading this right. I'm glad you were able to go ahead and upgrade to the Haven and have the service you had anticipated. But not fair of NCL to change it like that and only give you $200 OBC. 

I was reading this site: https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/cruise-accommodations/cruise-suites-and-penthouses and it says "not available on Norwegian Joy" for personal escorts and trained butler service. I have booked the Haven for late March and this makes a big difference in my choice of ships if there is no butler service. The escort is a nice touch, too, but as long as we have priority disembarkation at port and at the end of the cruise, then that's not as important. 

Is this new? 

Edited to come back and say the "Delicious Extras" also says that other extras are limited on the Joy. No 24-hour room service, daily specialty breakfast and lunch, mobile phone or sparkling wine and spring water at embarkation. I'm confused tho, because under The Haven, it shows these services: https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/cruise-accommodations/the-haven

Maybe they're differentiating non-Haven suites and penthouses from those in the Haven? And if so, why only on the Joy?

Here are the screenshots.

@vacation44 what's your favorite fruit? 🙂

2 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

I've seen comedians ask those that look under 18 how old they are. They then make sure to pick on that parent a lot. Can you handle being called a parent that makes bad decisions? That's the route those jokes typically go. I enjoy them. I'm not sure the parent(s) enjoy them. 

Ah, I gotcha. I don't have to worry about that. My son is over six feet tall. 

Lovely photos! We were on the Millennium July 7-14. It's amazing.

Do they really prevent anyone under 18 from attending? I'm sure our son, who will be 16 when we cruise, could handle the humor.

5 hours ago, vacation44 said:

Correct, the cabanas come with two Vibe passes.   Once they start selling the cabanas, I will switch out some of passes (we have 13 reserved) for a few cabanas for our group.   We reserved the Vibe passes at $229 each and now they are $249 each so I would think they will also raise the cabana prices.  Right now we have a cabana reserved for our February sailing on the Encore and the cabana cost is $599.  

 

   

Thanks! Is the cabana for one day or the whole cruise? 

We were on the Prima in December and the captain had to skip two ports due to rough seas and an inability to safely let us tender to shore - Grand Cayman and Great Stirrup Cay. We were super disappointed because we were scuba diving in Grand Cayman and had a villa rented in Great Stirrup Cay. But the only compensation we received was our port fees returned. 

The other two ports on the week-long cruise over Christmas were Cozumel and Ocho Rios. We didn't get off the ship in Cozumel because it was Christmas Day and winds were gusting to 25mph and the rain was coming down in sheets. So it was a very port-light cruise for us. We still had a great time, tho. But not the cruise we'd expected. 

For whatever it's worth, and apparently I'm not the norm, but I just took an Alaskan cruise on the Celebrity Millennium earlier this month. I actually didn't go into the observation lounge except the first time, to see what my options were. I didn't find it an essential part of the viewing experience. 

I love a good thermal lounger, pool or no pool. I did some sort of cold room in the sauna area on the Prima but I forget what they called it. I wonder if that's the same as a snow room? 

My son, who will be 16 when we cruise on the Joy next March, will be bummed that there's no Galaxy Pavilion or Laser Tag. But mom being happy with a thermal spa is more important, right???

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

I've seen no confirmation there will be a pool in the thermal suite. This would prevent me from booking the thermal suite. I won't gripe about it. I enjoy my Haven sundeck. Yes, it's on mine when I'm on Joy! 🙂

 

I'm excited, too, if I'm just on a cruise. And the shrinkage of the Observation Lounge won't impact me, but I can see how it will impact many Joy cruisers. And that stinks!

 

Thermal Suite plus expanded Vibe plus more cabins means more revenue for NCL. Makes financial sense they're doing it, given the rough financial times. 

I don't believe there's a pool since it's not mentioned. They wouldn't hesitate to mention a feature if it was available. 

3 hours ago, vacation44 said:

Still not thrilled about the "streamlining" of the OB so they can add additional cabins.

 

However, I do have a request in to switch out our Vibe passes for the new cabanas.   

How does that work? You book a cabana and then you don't need a Vibe pass? 

4 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Sounds great. I take it OP's @Sigyncruise is AFTER the dry dock?

Yes, it's in late March

I feel like I read something about an area for Haven or suite guests on Harvest Caye. is that correct? 

2 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I'd argue that Vibe does indeed have value.  Especially when the incremental cost is compared to the overall cost for Haven.

Yeah, but it's $500 for both of us for the week. So, it's more than a drop in the bucket. Our Haven forward-facing cabin is $7,800 and I'm already going to have to pay $343 per adult to upgrade to the Free at Sea Plus and then buy three specialty meals for our teenager so he can eat with us at the specialty restaurants we received with the cruise and Free at Sea Plus. 

@shof515 thanks! I've seen it, but I wanted to share the official letter from Norwegian since it's something new.

I received this letter ten minutes ago regarding the upcoming dry dock and changes coming to the Norwegian Joy. I also attached the PDF they sent me. 

Norwegian Joy Dry Dock Information.pdf

Now we're going to have to try the Silk and Spice @Stockjock - looks promising and at that price, what's there to lose? 

We have splurged on wine before, but I think the most we've ever paid for a bottle of wine, and that was while we were at the winery feeing quite tipsy from our tastings, was around $200. And that was once. And we didn't do it again. But it was utterly delicious. Quintessa. Good stuff. If you ever have a chance to visit that winery in Napa, they have these outdoor cabanas with sliding glass walls that overlook the lake and the mountains and it's utter perfection on an early fall or late spring day. 

8 hours ago, graphicguy said:

 

Yep…..Haven pool and bar area there is usually snacks and at breakfast and lunch, food available.  If I want the rowdy set, I’ll go to Spice H20, which has a bar.  Never had an issue getting a lounger there, either.  Plus, on the newer ships there are some nice water features at Spice H20.  I can make as many friends at Spice H20 as I can in the Vibe.  Make even more in the Haven.

 

I could see perhaps $49/week/pp as a decent price.  But, even at that, if you have access to the Haven, I personally don’t see the point.  Non-Haven guests?  Makes a bit more sense.  $249/pp/week?  Nope…..not doing it.  Haven guest?  Definitely not doing it.

 

 

That's a very good point about Spice H20. Are kids allowed there?

Thanks for the info! We'll be there on April 3 so I'm sure it will be toasty warm!

If you or your traveling partner have ever been in the military you get a 10% discount. 

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Good point.

 

I remember the Vibe being $49 for a week.  It accelerated quickly, though.  I think it went from $49 to $79 to $99 to $119 all in a year.  Then it took off again to $129, to $149...all the way up to $249 per person.  It may be even higher than that since I haven't checked in a while.  All the while, none of the amenities have changed since they were charging $49.

It's $249 pp for the week. On the Joy they're expanding Vibe right before our March cruise, but I'm not sure what that will entail. I believe I read the addition of cabanas. But I think that was simply speculation. 

The thing is, my husband and I do not lay out in the sun. He's had skin cancer, and I only sunburn. So unless there is shade, we don't do loungers. But we do love a good bar.