Quick review of NCL Joy, August 20-30

[bleepbloopblorp]

Hello!  Just got home from a 10 day on Joy.  As many of your might have heard (maybe???), we had to skip Bermuda because of the impending hurricane, which was a huge bummer, since I love me some Bermuda and was not interested in Miami (or Florida at all, honestly - our first stop was Cape Canaveral and I didn't get off the ship). 

 

I'll get the things I didn't like out of the way first, and please know that I don't have kids and don't really care for kids which I know is a hot button topic here, but I'm just putting it out there.  There are too many kid-centered things that take up huge amounts of deck space.  Two water slides, a laser tag thing (that I didn't see anyone using, though I could be wrong because I tend not to go where I'm going to be surrounded by screaming), a huge arcade, and go karts.  I bring this up because the sun decks are laid out super weirdly and the inclusion of laser tag took away a whole bunch of space where people could actually just chill out in the sun.  The pools are tiny and the only time I ventured into one was when everyone was in Cape Canaveral, otherwise they were clogged with bodies.  

They didn't handle the port change well.  Since Miami is in the US, we all had to pass through immigration and no one was allowed back on board until everyone had passed through so there were apparently a lot of people left just sitting in the cruise terminal because 14 people refused to leave the ship.  I'm sure there was a reason we couldn't stay in Nassau, or even Great Stirrup Cay but Miami is not an equal destination to Bermuda, and I'm not just saying that because I'd made all kinds of (non NCL-sponsored) Bermuda plans.  We were given OBC, but the amount that I ended up spending in Miami between cabs and going to Jungle Island (THIS COUNTS AS A POSITIVE BECAUSE I MET A CAPYBARA which I can now cross off my bucket list) wasn't acceptable.  NCL didn't really offer a lot of suggestions.  I mean, Miami is gorgeous, I've been there many times, but still.  I was annoyed, but people were PISSED.

 

I just asked my husband what he didn't enjoy and he said "Well, trying to reserve dinner on the hall TVs was annoying because they weren't super intuitive and very often didn't work at all".

 

We both HATED the adults only deck - Spice H20.  There were ALWAYS kids there, it was super crowded with drunk chainsmokers, and rather than offering a place to be able to just stare at the water, there's a huge, unnecessary screen showing various sea-scenes.  THEY BLOCKED A VIEW OF THE ACTUAL SEA WITH A TV SCREEN OF THE SEA.  I mean...*****?  We went twice and studiously avoided it afterwards because it gave me The Ick. (Please note: I am not against smoking, I smoked for a looonnng time, but I'm uneasy about people smoking on a ship).

 

Speaking of smoking - there were absolutely people smoking (cigarettes and weed) on their balconies.  It's impossible to stop that unless the whole ship is smoke free and I'm not a cop, but it was annoying.

 

So the positives:  I liked all of the food options.  The buffet had a good selection and was kept really clean.  We ate in the included restaurants twice - once at Savor, once in the Manhattan Room.  Both were solidly ok.  Le Bistro was also good, although I wouldn't choose to dine there again.  We both LOVED Food Republic. Everything we tried (and we tried A LOT because we're on vacation and calories do not count) was amazing.  The BBQ restaurant (coyly named Q) was also good, but I'm not entirely sure how it's a BBQ place without an actual grill??

 

I loved that there was live music almost always SOMEWHERE onboard.  Country isn't my thing, but the Neilly Rich Duo were great, and really talented.  

 

The mojito bar and all of the bartenders were stellar.  I realized that I kind of hate mojitos, but they serve a drink that I fell in love with - Saturn Landing.  PLEASE, please please.  PLEASE and I do not beg frequently - PLEASE GO ORDER THIS.  Even if you hate gin, please do me a favor and get this. It was a delight and I will think about it until the next time I cruise.

 

Despite it being a full ship, once we found our groove, we never really felt cramped.  There was always a free lounger or a chair somewhere. 

I'm running out of steam about this, but if anyone has any questions I can answer, let me know!

[sansroof]

Your writing style is hilarious and omg thank you for the CAPYBARA intel - I have had zero desire to go to Miami but now it is on my list!!  Capybaras!  Amazing!

[bluesea777]

Next time book a cruise that sails when the schools are IN!

 

 

[bkrickles1]

1 hour ago, bleepbloopblorp said:

Hello!  Just got home from a 10 day on Joy.  As many of your might have heard (maybe???), we had to skip Bermuda because of the impending hurricane, which was a huge bummer, since I love me some Bermuda and was not interested in Miami (or Florida at all, honestly - our first stop was Cape Canaveral and I didn't get off the ship). 

 

I'll get the things I didn't like out of the way first, and please know that I don't have kids and don't really care for kids which I know is a hot button topic here, but I'm just putting it out there.  There are too many kid-centered things that take up huge amounts of deck space.  Two water slides, a laser tag thing (that I didn't see anyone using, though I could be wrong because I tend not to go where I'm going to be surrounded by screaming), a huge arcade, and go karts.  I bring this up because the sun decks are laid out super weirdly and the inclusion of laser tag took away a whole bunch of space where people could actually just chill out in the sun.  The pools are tiny and the only time I ventured into one was when everyone was in Cape Canaveral, otherwise they were clogged with bodies.  

They didn't handle the port change well.  Since Miami is in the US, we all had to pass through immigration and no one was allowed back on board until everyone had passed through so there were apparently a lot of people left just sitting in the cruise terminal because 14 people refused to leave the ship.  I'm sure there was a reason we couldn't stay in Nassau, or even Great Stirrup Cay but Miami is not an equal destination to Bermuda, and I'm not just saying that because I'd made all kinds of (non NCL-sponsored) Bermuda plans.  We were given OBC, but the amount that I ended up spending in Miami between cabs and going to Jungle Island (THIS COUNTS AS A POSITIVE BECAUSE I MET A CAPYBARA which I can now cross off my bucket list) wasn't acceptable.  NCL didn't really offer a lot of suggestions.  I mean, Miami is gorgeous, I've been there many times, but still.  I was annoyed, but people were PISSED.

 

I just asked my husband what he didn't enjoy and he said "Well, trying to reserve dinner on the hall TVs was annoying because they weren't super intuitive and very often didn't work at all".

 

We both HATED the adults only deck - Spice H20.  There were ALWAYS kids there, it was super crowded with drunk chainsmokers, and rather than offering a place to be able to just stare at the water, there's a huge, unnecessary screen showing various sea-scenes.  THEY BLOCKED A VIEW OF THE ACTUAL SEA WITH A TV SCREEN OF THE SEA.  I mean...*****?  We went twice and studiously avoided it afterwards because it gave me The Ick. (Please note: I am not against smoking, I smoked for a looonnng time, but I'm uneasy about people smoking on a ship).

 

Speaking of smoking - there were absolutely people smoking (cigarettes and weed) on their balconies.  It's impossible to stop that unless the whole ship is smoke free and I'm not a cop, but it was annoying.

 

So the positives:  I liked all of the food options.  The buffet had a good selection and was kept really clean.  We ate in the included restaurants twice - once at Savor, once in the Manhattan Room.  Both were solidly ok.  Le Bistro was also good, although I wouldn't choose to dine there again.  We both LOVED Food Republic. Everything we tried (and we tried A LOT because we're on vacation and calories do not count) was amazing.  The BBQ restaurant (coyly named Q) was also good, but I'm not entirely sure how it's a BBQ place without an actual grill??

 

I loved that there was live music almost always SOMEWHERE onboard.  Country isn't my thing, but the Neilly Rich Duo were great, and really talented.  

 

The mojito bar and all of the bartenders were stellar.  I realized that I kind of hate mojitos, but they serve a drink that I fell in love with - Saturn Landing.  PLEASE, please please.  PLEASE and I do not beg frequently - PLEASE GO ORDER THIS.  Even if you hate gin, please do me a favor and get this. It was a delight and I will think about it until the next time I cruise.

 

Despite it being a full ship, once we found our groove, we never really felt cramped.  There was always a free lounger or a chair somewhere. 

I'm running out of steam about this, but if anyone has any questions I can answer, let me know!

I guess I'm perplexed why you would choose a ship with so many amenities for kids when you clearly dislike them.

I feel for you with the port change. Definitely some bad luck there.

We sailed Joy at the end of July and had a fabulous time. We, also love Bermuda and have visited many times.

With regards to Spice, I'm surprised by the kids comment.

We didn't hang out there more than 2 times, but we never really saw kids that weren't supposed to be there. Also, we stayed away from the side with smoking and never smelled anything while we were at sea.

And the screen in Spice is used for many things and only blocks some of the sea view.

There's plenty of space to look out at the sea while sailing back there.

[goldmom]

We were also on this cruise and had a great time despite a few hiccups.  We really had very calm seas and only one day where it rained a bit.  With all the storms we were really expecting a rocky ride, but the ocean was like a lake.

First time trying Food Republic.  We loved it, but it's way to much food.  We could barely just taste everything.  We also enjoyed Q.  The food was pleasant and it was nice to try something different on a cruise.

We were in the Haven and the Haven restaurant was wonderful.  After maybe the second day, there were lunch and dinner specials everyday.

Now, my personal rant.  I expected the Courtyard to be overrun with kids and it was.  We started calling the hot tub kid soup.  LOL!  But, we saw several families with babies ( we're talking 6-8 months old) with diapers and one in the shallow pool with the loungers with nothing on.  I get it, I've had kids and all they wanted to do was swim.  But, this is a health risk and effects the other families with kids too.

I did mention it to the Concierge, but was on my way to dinner so don't know if anything was done.  But still saw little ones in the hot tub the next day.  No one seemed to want to say anything.

We ended up not going near the pool and hot tub in the CY , but did enjoy some time in the adult pools on deck 19, which I wish all ships had.

Overall a very nice and relaxing cruise.

[joestein514]

I just got off this cruise as well.   While the pools were crowded, my wife and I never had a problem finding a space at the adult pool - we went there every sea day.

 

The detour to Miami makes no sense to me.  I would like to know the reason we couldn't have stayed an extra day in Nassau or GSC.   Or why we couldn't have gone to another island.   Since we docked at the NCL terminal in Miami - I think it was a cost saving measure.    

 

What needs to be pointed out here is that NCL seems to have very poor planning.   The customs should have been handled like the last day of the ship.  Cabin doors should lock after a certain time.  While the people who refused are certainly to blame, NCL also seem poorly prepared.   I noticed this multiple times during the cruise.   When we docked at Nassau around noon, they had people lining the staircases packed like sardines.   If one person tripped or fell, it would have been like dominoes.   Many people missed their excursions as they could not get off the ship.   They should have people with excursions meet in the theatre and escorted out in groups to ensure they make it.

 

As to live music, most of it was bad (The exceptions would be The Beatles, Beau and the Broadway performers).  The District (which I loved) was hopping when Beau performed, when Inna performed there, it was empty.   They had a singer, Julia Hatfield (said she was descended from the infamous Hatfield/McCoys) - literally performing at the cavern club with 2 people watching.  Maybe after an hour - it was up to 10 people.  If it wasn't for Beau, I dont know what I would have done in the evening.   We went to bed early on the 2 nights that Inna performed.   

 

Not a country music or Latino music fan.   That was about 75% of the music on the cruise.

 

The food in general was very good.  I found Food Republic to be very inconsistent.  We loved it the first time, the second time, the food was super spicy, rubbery calamari, and missing major ingredients, like pork and poached egg on the fried rice.

 

Overall, the ship is very nice.   This adult went on the water slide.  Loved the observation deck.   

Edited August 30, 2023 by joestein514

[bleepbloopblorp]

27 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I guess I'm perplexed why you would choose a ship with so many amenities for kids when you clearly dislike them.

 

That's why I said it was controversial!  I have no issue with kids on cruises, I mean, it's summer and families go on vacation together.  I'm just confused as to why so much space was dedicated specifically to kid things at the expense of adult things, I guess. From what I read, they're going to dry dock Joy and will be getting rid of the laser tag for more Vibe space and they're doing away with the Galaxy Pavilion.   

 

I'm glad you didn't find the screen in the adult area annoying, it just wasn't for me.  It's difficult for the staff to keep kids away from hottubs when parents insist, and that happened more than a few times in the 40 minutes or so that I sat back there.  It was fine, we found tons of other relaxing places to hang out.

 

I love Latin music!  I liked Julia Hatfield, the one time I watched her in the Observation lounge.  The sailing was calm, and other than the downpour when I finally made it into the water in GSC, the weather was perfect.  I loved the staff.  

 

The Miami thing was a flog, but again, CAPYBARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joestein514]

Julia was perfect for the observation lounge.  Everyone there is pretty much half asleep anyway.  Especially in the evening.

 

All kidding aside, she has a nice voice, but she is just boring.   Somehow I picture her singing at a coffee house.

[uneamie]

Thanks for your review....after dry dock a few of those "for kids" area's will be gone and replaced with a Thermal spa, larger Vibe and more cabins. Can't say that will address a need for more sun loungers but there ya go. As for Spice...I thought that was an "adults only" area? Am I wrong. We are on Joy in June and I was hoping we'd have that space to make up for the crowded pool area. 

[HBCcruiser]

9 minutes ago, uneamie said:

Thanks for your review....after dry dock a few of those "for kids" area's will be gone and replaced with a Thermal spa, larger Vibe and more cabins. Can't say that will address a need for more sun loungers but there ya go. As for Spice...I thought that was an "adults only" area? Am I wrong. We are on Joy in June and I was hoping we'd have that space to make up for the crowded pool area. 

Vibe is the only “truly” restricted area for adults that I have seen. In H2O and on the Haven 16+ Sundecks I never see staff enforcing the adult only rules. It seems to be up to the pax to do that. 

[bkrickles1]

10 hours ago, uneamie said:

Thanks for your review....after dry dock a few of those "for kids" area's will be gone and replaced with a Thermal spa, larger Vibe and more cabins. Can't say that will address a need for more sun loungers but there ya go. As for Spice...I thought that was an "adults only" area? Am I wrong. We are on Joy in June and I was hoping we'd have that space to make up for the crowded pool area. 

I've sailed Joy twice in the last 2 years and Escape in 2018 and I never saw an abundance of kids in Spice. I'm not sure I saw any. 

Just last month on Joy I spent time in the giant whirlpool and there were definitely no kids in there.

The area does get crowded on sea days, but I believe the kids mostly stay away.

[DCGuy64]

@bleepbloopblorp, BTW I love your screen name, so cool! Loved your review, very informative, interesting, and funny. Thank you for writing it, it was a joy (no pun intended) to read. 😉

[cruiseny4life]

As a couple others mentioned, I'd highly suggest you look into booking Vibe Beach Club next time. No kids. Lots of deck space and loungers. It would be a great space to while away time while in Miami. Sorry about that, btw. I had the same experience in September. We didn't want to go anywhere in Miami. Just wanted to chillax in the thermal suite...I know, how do you chill in the thermals. I do! 

 

Anyway, we had to wait about two hours in the terminal for all the bleepitybloops (see what I did there) to get off the ship. Ignoramuses that don't have any consideration for their fellow passengers is what they are. I don't mind kids either, nor do I really mind all the spaces for kids, but on Joy we love, love, love the Haven Sundeck. No kids. Just a couple hot tubs filled with drunken adult soup, but I get in there anyway and take a nice long shower after. 

 

So yea, seriously...next time, look into Vibe! I think you'll find it works well to escape the kids.

[DCGuy64]

19 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Vibe Beach Club

Don't you have to pay extra for that? Seems a little unfair to force adults to cough up extra $ just to avoid the kids. I would've thought Spice H2O would have taken care of that. It's supposed to be adults-only during the day.

[bkrickles1]

12 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Don't you have to pay extra for that? Seems a little unfair to force adults to cough up extra $ just to avoid the kids. I would've thought Spice H2O would have taken care of that. It's supposed to be adults-only during the day.

It absolutely is adults only and, as I said earlier, I've never experienced a problem with kids being there during the day on any of my 3 sailings with Spice.

[DCGuy64]

8 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

It absolutely is adults only and, as I said earlier, I've never experienced a problem with kids being there during the day on any of my 3 sailings with Spice.

Thanks, we're booked on a Mediterranean itinerary in early November, so I don't imagine there'll be too many kids on board.

[bkrickles1]

11 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Thanks, we're booked on a Mediterranean itinerary in early November, so I don't imagine there'll be too many kids on board.

You're golden! Have a great trip!!