We Survived a Week on Norwegian Cruise Line's Worst Rated Ship!

The @CruiseCriticVideos reviews are in, and Norwegian Joy doesn't fare well. In fact, these cruisers have the mega-ship rated as one of the worst NCL vessels in the fleet. Are these negative cruise reviews justified? Well, we are back from a Norwegian Joy Bermuda sailing and have our honest Norwegian Joy review.

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NORWEGIAN JOY REVIEW
0:00 Introduction
1:12 The Outdoor Decks
3:42 Signature Attractions
7:05 Complimentary Dining
10:35 Specialty Dining
13:10 Entertainment
15:45 Nightlife
17:50 Onboard Activities
19:20 Staterooms
21:00 Service
22:15 The Verdict

NORWEGIAN JOY REVIEW
We were actually surprised to find that Norwegian Joy is one of the lowest-rated cruise ships on Cruise Critic. So, for this review of Norwegian Joy, we looked at the common complaints to see if they were justified.

One repeated theme in the comments had to do with @norwegiancruiseline Joy's sundeck. Here, we tend to agree with the critics. Compared to her sister ships, the Norwegian Joy pool deck is poorly designed. Plus, on our sailing, the deck chair hogs were out in full force, so getting a seat was impossible.

Other complaints have to do with the attractions onboard. Here, we disagree. We knew before the sailing that many of the Norwegian Joy signature attractions were an upcharge. This is true on most NCL ships, so it didn't bother us. For this Norwegian Joy cruise review, we took a drive on the NorwegianJoy Speedway but did not use the laser tag or the Galaxy Pavilion.

Regarding dining, we both agree and disagree with the other reviewers. We were disappointed in the complimentary dining in the main dining room and buffet. But, the Local pub was what we expected; our meals were fresh and service was prompt. Most importantly, specialty dining lived up to NCL's reputation. Among our favorites during this Norwegian Joy Bermuda cruise were Ocean Blue, Food Republic, and Teppanyaki.

We also disagreed with a few of the reviewers who indicated that there needed to be more activities onboard or that the entertainment could have been better. Jake and the rest of the cruise director staff did a great job hosting all of the typical onboard events for this seven-night cruise. There were plenty of trivia sessions, competitions, pool deck showdowns, and a lineup of game shows like Deal or No Deal, the Battle of the Sexes, and the Not so Newlywed Game Show.

Also, the main theater entertainment was better than the typical revue shows on other cruise lines. For this Norwegian Joy cruise review, we watched the two signature productions and two headliner acts. Our favorites included the Broadway production of Footloose and the headliner aerialist duo Cliché. Although, the critics are right that some of the venues are too small. Getting seats at the comedy club or the micro-sized Cavern Club was very difficult.

For us, the bars and lounges, as well as the nightlife, on the ship shined. We enjoyed several musical acts in the District Brewhouse, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, and the Atrium. Not to mention, the specialty cocktails at these venues as well as the Maltings Whiskey Bar were top-notch. Of course, there's also the popular parties in Spice H2O and the GLOW party on the pool deck.

While NCL Joy isn't our favorite ship in the fleet, it delivered a fun Bermuda cruise and is certainly one of the best options cruising to this region. The ship is definitely a worthy contender for your voyage to this beautiful island. Plus, it will undergo some enhancements in 2024, adding a thermal suite, larger Vibe Beach Club, and more!

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[Eatsleepcruise]

Have you cruised on Norwegian Joy? Do you agree with the critics?

[doubledrats]

I was on the NCL Joy for its cruise to Bermuda from NYC in August 2023. I didn’t try to do everything on this cruise but I found it wonderful. It was certainly fun although not as memorable as my previous cruise in 1980 when I was an Engine Room cadet on a Merchant Marine training ship (TSES V).

[debrabessette]

We found the food to be excellant on our cruise on the Joy in August 2023. While the Garden Cafe was crowded, we always found seating within a few minutes.

[MrSschwarz]

I cruised on the NCL Joy in 2019 and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was a time when there were few kids onboard and it was destination cruise to the Panama Canal and Central America. Had a fabulous time, loved the ship, the specialty restaurants and the venues. Our ship was not completely full, so the entertainment venues were not full, and we never had to wait to get into the Cavern Club. In fact, most of the time there were plenty of places to sit even during the Beatles review. But that was 4 years ago, and times seem to have changed.

[wkndgrltrp]

Thanks so much for this information. I'm sailing on the Joy next year around this time, and this information has been very helpful.

[mariasheppard]

We cruised the joy in November 2023 and absolutely loved it and are planning on going on the joy again. No complaints about the food and activities.

[minnesotagamblers]

We cruised Joy in May 2023 and my only complaint was terrible weather all the way to Bermuda and back to NYC. Staff was incredible as we have come to expect with NCL, especially my housekeeper. Food was great. Bliss is up next out of LA in 2 weeks. We have also been on Escape in 2019.

[lenaapple]

I have already been on Joy, and we had the most fantastic time! The ship was not at full capacity for our sailing, but that would not deter us as we normally said Royal's Oasis class which has a higher capacity. These ships are made to handle it. I chose a similar room for my 2024 sailing on Joy, and cannot wait. I am also interested to see the ship more at capacity, and compare. We are not the type of cruisers that care about the upcharge nickel and dime items that people seem to complain about. Everything we do, is included already. The only thing I see that I will purchase is bottled water on board. Royal includes water in their drink pkg, NCL does not. They do have a free water option that is not bad, just to go off ship I like to take the bottles. Now back to the ship - some may not like Joy, but remember she is different. She was made for the Asian market... so as an example - the pool area was designed for Tai Chi. I can see this being busy - but other than that, I am not worried for March!

[sportsMike]

Keep in mind most people just go on cruise critic to complain

[sam-cozm]

We were on the Joy twice last year and we loved it. I love the observation decks because that’s where my husband and I spent most of our time. I hope they are not going to remove the observation decks when they’re going to dry dock next year.

[divoxpqr]

Sailed on both Encore and Bliss where the grab n go buffet is featured in the afternoon in the Observation Lounge. I’d give this venue high marks on both ships.
They both had lots of great seating friendly staff who got to know me and my drink preferences. The ambiance there was great. That’s why we booked our cabin on the same level. But, in general, I’ve not encountered a main deck buffet that wasn’t a little chaotic. It comes with the territory. Haven’t sailed on the Joy yet, so your comments will be well noted. Many thanks for the review.

[jeepguy]

My favorite ship. I could do without the go carts but we like the indoor/outdoor bars most

[legostuffjt]

A few years back I went on the that ship and I loved it

[jimp]

Just went on the Joy and had a great time. 😎

[badlt-kr]

We’re booked on the Joy for April 2024. Looking forward to it. We sailed the Getaway out of New York a couple years ago and we’re happy with it. We will def hammer out the mistakes we made on the Getaway when we sale the Joy in April. Namely preplanning activities and restaurants.

[Beachdudeca]

A strong positive for Norwegian is the Single supplement that removes the bulk of the Single Surcharges on many NCLH ships.
Due to the pricing in my opinion just add some special dining since the base cost is affordable.

[LucyBird]

Going on Joy next week. Sailing looks sold out online so I'm prepared for things to move slow. Seems like sailing at full capacity is normal lately with the increase in people taking cruises. I'm not one to sit out by the pool, but I can see how it could become frustrating if someone can't get a chair. I'm hoping the food and performers are good, those are the main things I look forward to. The specialty dining on NCL is worth paying extra money for.

[ivysylvan]

A fun behind-the-scenes thing, the Joy was actually built for the Asian market, which is why it's so different than the other Breakaway Plus ships.

[lh]

One thing to keep in mind is that the NCL Joy was originally designed & built to be in China where the climate & culture are much different than it’s usage now.

[bettyb]

Observation Lounge is the nicest feature on Joy. Now it will be filled with cabins.😢