NCL Joy 4/27-5/1

[Iluvthenclpearl]

At the Port of Miami waiting to get on our first cruise since 2019. We are very excited to try a new ship and be back on the seas.

 

The previous posts regarding delayed boarding still hold true. It is 12:45 p.m. and boarding has not started. We were told by the concierge that boarding could start between 12:30 and 1 p.m. Needless to say we are still waiting in the Haven lounge and everyone else is waiting in line as well.

[cruiseny4life]

What a crowd of humanity! I was so thankful to wait for our (delayed) embarkation on the couch to your right. Hope you get on soon and get the fun started! 

[Iluvthenclpearl]

39 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

What a crowd of humanity! I was so thankful to wait for our (delayed) embarkation on the couch to your right. Hope you get on soon and get the fun started! 

I loved your post about your cruise!!! It was very insightful and built the excitement for our trip!

[Iluvthenclpearl]

42 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

What a crowd of humanity! I was so thankful to wait for our (delayed) embarkation on the couch to your right. Hope you get on soon and get the fun started! 

I loved your post about your cruise!!! It was very insightful and built up the excitement for our trip! 

[Maleficent's Dad]

In July we'll also be on our first cruise since 2019 - and on the Joy, so I'm looking forward to following along!

[Sand and Seas]

Sorry it took so long to get us off the ship.  Lots of people were trying to rebook flights.  NCL says it was CBP backup.  They didn't call the last bag colors until noon.  Then it took us until 1:45 to get to a taxi.   Hope you have a great cruise 😎

[PC Skier]

Is there a separate pre boarding area for Platinum and above? 

[Iluvthenclpearl]

3 hours ago, Maleficent's Dad said:

In July we'll also be on our first cruise since 2019 - and on the Joy, so I'm looking forward to following along!

I think you’ll love it! It is a beautiful ship, well maintained, and the staff is lovely! I’m sitting on our balcony now listening to the waves and enjoying the breeze 😁

[Iluvthenclpearl]

2 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

Sorry it took so long to get us off the ship.  Lots of people were trying to rebook flights.  NCL says it was CBP backup.  They didn't call the last bag colors until noon.  Then it took us until 1:45 to get to a taxi.   Hope you have a great cruise 😎

Hopefully you were able to enjoy some extra time before your trip home. I hope you had a great cruise as well!I have never in my 30+ cruises experienced a wait, So I can’t complain! It did seem very hectic though. We arrived at 11:45, I feel bad for the folks that arrived at 9.

[Iluvthenclpearl]

At 1:15 pm, Haven and priority access were escorted on board! Yay!!! It felt amazing to finally step on board. Like so many others we had a few cruises cancelled over the last few years. 
 

The check in process was smooth and quick at both the Haven shore side check in and at security check in on the ship.

I did feel that over communication in the terminal was lacking, as well as, after we swiped our cards at security. This was definitely noticeable as people were confused about scanning their room keys for muster since they had a muster check in station as soon as you entered the ship for muster station 6 only.
 

We made our way up to the Haven by ourselves and were given the option to dine at the American Diner (as others mentioned prior). We opted to try it out. 
American Diner was nicely set up and spacious. Service was a bit slow for our section, for instance we were without water for most of our meal even though we requested it a few times. I am very patient and understanding so we enjoyed our meal and the breeze. We started with the nachos which are made with corn chips for those who may need gluten free (like my DH) and the ever so gooey cheesy mozzarella sticks. We both had cheeseburgers and he tried the vanilla shake. We enjoyed our meals and the overall atmosphere.

[Iluvthenclpearl]

The Assistant Cruise Director kept announcing that the staterooms would not be ready until after 3:30. Many people were frustrated and disappointed after waiting in the terminal for a few hours. We experienced the typical first day elevator shortage as the mid-ship elevators were being used for the guests that were boarding. There were also people sitting on the stairs making it difficult for others to get up and down. 

We decided to do our muster station check in and then head back to the Haven to wait for our stateroom to be ready. We have a category HJ located on deck 14.

We were able check in at our muster station on deck 8 in less than 30 seconds and be on our way. Oh how I missed being crammed into a small area with 300 other people for muster drill - just kidding!!! This was definitely a bonus of not having to walk to the muster station, dragging a life jacket and watching a video that you could never hear anyway 😁

 

Here are some pictures of the beautiful chandelier that so many other cruisers have shared and I was looking forward to seeing. The pictures do not do it justice!

Our muster station was at La Cucina which was across from Ocean Blue. We also saw the main pool deck with the water slides.

[cruiseny4life]

13 hours ago, Iluvthenclpearl said:

The Assistant Cruise Director kept announcing that the staterooms would not be ready until after 3:30. Many people were frustrated and disappointed after waiting in the terminal for a few hours. We experienced the typical first day elevator shortage as the mid-ship elevators were being used for the guests that were boarding. There were also people sitting on the stairs making it difficult for others to get up and down. 

We decided to do our muster station check in and then head back to the Haven to wait for our stateroom to be ready. We have a category HJ located on deck 14.

We were able check in at our muster station on deck 8 in less than 30 seconds and be on our way. Oh how I missed being crammed into a small area with 300 other people for muster drill - just kidding!!! This was definitely a bonus of not having to walk to the muster station, dragging a life jacket and watching a video that you could never hear anyway 😁

 

Here are some pictures of the beautiful chandelier that so many other cruisers have shared and I was looking forward to seeing. The pictures do not do it justice!

Our muster station was at La Cucina which was across from Ocean Blue. We also saw the main pool deck with the water slides.

I will never understand why people hog the stairs when comfy seats in the Observation Lounge, bars, restaurants, Waterfront are available. Like, do you really need to race to your room as soon as the announcement that rooms are ready is made? I just laugh a little bit at these folks - I know, rude. 

 

You must be very close to where we were - 14180. La Cucina was also our muster station. We were oh so grateful to be packed in the muster station/hallway like sardines for our muster. You really missed out on a fun time! Hehe

 

Oh! Great choice to head to American Diner for lunch (I know others will disagree). We do enjoy the casual meal in the not so cloistered confines of the Haven Restaurant. Those nachos looked great! 

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences, thus far. I hope your internet is better so you can keep us updated, but if not or you don't feel so inclined, have one heck of a lovely cruise! Let us know how it goes after. 

[Iluvthenclpearl]

On 4/28/2023 at 8:33 AM, cruiseny4life said:

I will never understand why people hog the stairs when comfy seats in the Observation Lounge, bars, restaurants, Waterfront are available. Like, do you really need to race to your room as soon as the announcement that rooms are ready is made? I just laugh a little bit at these folks - I know, rude. 

 

You must be very close to where we were - 14180. La Cucina was also our muster station. We were oh so grateful to be packed in the muster station/hallway like sardines for our muster. You really missed out on a fun time! Hehe

 

Oh! Great choice to head to American Diner for lunch (I know others will disagree). We do enjoy the casual meal in the not so cloistered confines of the Haven Restaurant. Those nachos looked great! 

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences, thus far. I hope your internet is better so you can keep us updated, but if not or you don't feel so inclined, have one heck of a lovely cruise! Let us know how it goes after. 

Hi we returned today from our fabulous trip!  Yes, we were a few cabins away from the suite that you had. It was amazing! Great location and very quiet.

[Iluvthenclpearl]

We returned today from a fabulous 4 days on the Joy. The Haven was amazing! The staff and crew that are assigned there were friendly and hard working. 
 

The Joy is a beautiful ship, well maintained, and lots of fun! Most of the crew members had a positive attitude and were helpful, they definitely made the cruise relaxing and enjoyable. Some of the passengers not so much! 
 

We stayed in the confines of the Haven for most of the trip. The service was top notch and the space was plenty. The Horizon Lounge on Deck 17 forward in the Haven offered beautiful views, comfy lounger sofas, and delicious snacks. There was a coffee machine that had lattes and cappuccinos, as well as, hot water for the selection of teas. Most of the snacks changed daily, like potato salad, macaroni salad, pinwheel rolls with tomato and Basil, spinach and ricotta, or buffalo chicken. The make your own trail mix was consistent everyday. The desserts also changed. There were an assortment of pastries and there was an amazing cookie with chocolate that I enjoyed. It was very fresh and tasty. 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by Iluvthenclpearl

[BrownEyedGirl686]

49 minutes ago, Iluvthenclpearl said:

We returned today from a fabulous 4 days on the Joy. The Haven was amazing! The staff and crew that are assigned there were friendly and hard working. 
 

The Joy is a beautiful ship, well maintained, and lots of fun! Most of the crew members had a positive attitude and were helpful, they definitely made the cruise relaxing and enjoyable. Some of the passengers not so much! 
 

We stayed in the confines of the Haven for most of the trip. The service was top notch and the space was plenty. The Horizon Lounge on Deck 17 forward in the Haven offered beautiful views, comfy lounger sofas, and delicious snacks. There was a coffee machine that had lattes and cappuccinos, as well as, hot water for the selection of teas. Most of the snacks changed daily, like potato salad, macaroni salad, pinwheel rolls with tomato and Basil, spinach and ricotta, or buffalo chicken. The make your own trail mix was consistent everyday. The desserts also changed. There were an assortment of pastries and there was an amazing cookie with chocolate that I enjoyed. It was very fresh and tasty. 

 

 

So glad to hear we board the Joy in 27 longgg days 

[CDR Benson]

17 hours ago, Iluvthenclpearl said:

We returned today from a fabulous 4 days on the Joy. The Haven was amazing! The staff and crew that are assigned there were friendly and hard working. 
 

The Joy is a beautiful ship, well maintained, and lots of fun! Most of the crew members had a positive attitude and were helpful, they definitely made the cruise relaxing and enjoyable. Some of the passengers not so much! 
 

We stayed in the confines of the Haven for most of the trip. The service was top notch and the space was plenty. The Horizon Lounge on Deck 17 forward in the Haven offered beautiful views, comfy lounger sofas, and delicious snacks. 
 

 

Thank you for your vivid trip report.  I was able to vicariously re-live our cruise on Joy from last September.  The Good Mrs. Benson and I occupied HI class suite #14778 and our experience echoed yours.  We will have that same suite for another voyage on Joy that, alas, is 536 days from now.

 

 

[Iluvthenclpearl]

On 5/2/2023 at 10:54 AM, CDR Benson said:

 

Thank you for your vivid trip report.  I was able to vicariously re-live our cruise on Joy from last September.  The Good Mrs. Benson and I occupied HI class suite #14778 and our experience echoed yours.  We will have that same suite for another voyage on Joy that, alas, is 536 days from now.

 

 

That’s very exciting that you have that to look forward to! We are looking to do another sailing on the Joy as soon as we can. 

[Iluvthenclpearl]

As I mentioned before we had a fabulous time. There were only a few things that we did not enjoy. Embarkation was a mess. Our check-in was pleasant and quick, however, the long wait was challenging. As others have mentioned this has been on going. Hopefully it is resolved soon.

 

I have loved and enjoyed Cagney’s for years. DH and I were so looking forward to having dinner there. The experience was definitely lacking. The service was slow, yet it felt rushed. The quality of the food was poor.  For instance when we asked for water it took a long time, however, when the waiter reappeared after some time he rushed to take the dessert order without ever checking in during the meal. My filet was stringy and almost had a slimy consistency and the Cagney’s Truffle Fries were stale, dry, and cold.  The waiter disappeared for quite a while. When he returned, and saw that my food was in poor shape, he simply stated said he’d let the chef know. We were then offered dessert and the check was brought out simultaneously,  we were not offered drinks, coffee, etc. Pictured below: fries, my filet, DH’s ribeye.
 

 

[CDR Benson]

6 minutes ago, Iluvthenclpearl said:

The experience [at Cagney's] was definitely lacking . . . The quality of the food was poor . . . My filet was stringy and almost had a slimy consistency and the Cagney’s Truffle Fries were stale, dry, and cold. 
 

 

You and your husband were more tolerant than I would've been.  After one bite, I would've asked Cagney's to re-prepare the dish.  And if the staff baulked at that, I would have gotten up and left.  After all, there's no dearth of eating places on board a cruise ship.

[Iluvthenclpearl]

We had two stops during our four day cruise, Great Stirrup Cay (GSC) and Nassau, Bahamas. 
 

In GSC we chose the swimming with the pigs excursion. After a short walk across the island our group boarded 4 small boats and were taken to a nearby island. The crew from the excursion were helpful and a lot of fun. When we arrived there was a quick briefing regarding safety and rules. There was an area where all belongings had to be left including cameras and cell phones. At the small lagoon area we were provided with skewers that had a piece of apple that would be used to feed the pigs. The apples were plenty and there were enough pigs for everyone to have their turn. It was a little messy with the pigs eating so many apples and Mother Nature calling…Nonetheless, we had fun and the scenery was beautiful. There was an area on the rim of the lagoon where a group of rays were hanging out. There was a very large one that took a swim in the lagoon once everyone cleared out.

In Nassau, we took advantage of the empty ship and stayed in the Haven. We had a great cabana, enjoyed the hot tub (which is not really hot), and had a wonderful lunch.

 

 

[Iluvthenclpearl]

14 minutes ago, CDR Benson said:

 

You and your husband were more tolerant than I would've been.  After one bite, I would've asked Cagney's to re-prepare the dish.  And if the staff baulked at that, I would have gotten up and left.  After all, there's no dearth of eating places on board a cruise ship.

We were going to have it replaced, however, with the amount of time we waited, the underwhelming experience and food, and the service being the way it was, we did choose to try a quick dessert and then we left. The dessert was not worth waiting around for. We are not demanding and we do understand that issues happen. We did not feel that the staff in Cagney’s were concerned with the issues. 

[Maleficent's Dad]

Thanks for the heads up about the pigs.  Doesn’t sound too appealing!