NCL Joy info please....

[jarett]

Hellooooo!

 

Getting onto the NCL Joy this Saturday and wondering if anyone can answer some of our questions please....is there, and when are the:

 

- 80’s night

- White Hot Party

- Karaoke Nights

 

How were the pay restaurants?

Did anyone UPGRADE their drink package, and was it worth the extra $$$$$ ??

 

What were your tour highlights? I think we’re getting 7 days of Rain, LOL....oh well, still beats working, I think....

 

Thank You, and I hope your cruise was enjoyable!!!!!

 

 

[EthelMertz]

Can’t answer those questions but friends of mine are on Joy now. Drink package, according to them, is now $129 pp/day. Also, bottles of water are $7 and some entertainment shows have a surcharge. 

[derek005]

55 minutes ago, jarett said:

Hellooooo!

 

Getting onto the NCL Joy this Saturday and wondering if anyone can answer some of our questions please....is there, and when are the:

 

- 80’s night

- White Hot Party

- Karaoke Nights

 

How were the pay restaurants?

Did anyone UPGRADE their drink package, and was it worth the extra $$$$$ ??

 

What were your tour highlights? I think we’re getting 7 days of Rain, LOL....oh well, still beats working, I think....

 

Thank You, and I hope your cruise was enjoyable!!!!!

 

 

Just came off of the Joy last week and had a great time. It rarely rained and we wore shorts and t-shirts most of the time due to the weather being very nice. I wish it was colder so that the glaciers will comeback.

 

-There is a 70's party.

-There is a glow night.

-There is Karaoke.

-The pay restaurants were great that we ate at. We did Cagney's twice, The Q, and Le Bistro.

-Had the regular drink package and that was great unless you like spending more on drinks.

 

Being on a cruise is our highlight, but we also had other highlights when we saw whales (Orca's on an excursion), eagles, seals, and salmon. Another great highlight was that we got to watch the NFL game on the giant screen in H2O on the open water in the day time which was outstanding. Where else can you do that??? The ports were pretty good, but I wish that we did not spend a whole day in Victoria. I would rather do circles on the water to really enjoy the boat one last day. Only one bar per deck was open in Victoria due to Canadian laws. The casino and the shops were closed as well. It was pretty boring after we took off at 10 that night. 

 

Overall, a great trip as usual through NCL and can't wait to do it again. You will have a ball.

 

[disneylover89]

1 hour ago, EthelMertz said:

Can’t answer those questions but friends of mine are on Joy now. Drink package, according to them, is now $129 pp/day. Also, bottles of water are $7 and some entertainment shows have a surcharge. 

WOW!  $7 for a bottle of water!?! That is worse than Disney!  I guess I will be bringing my refillable water bottle.  Does the Joy have free water and juice dispensers by the buffets?

[disneylover89]

double post

Edited September 12, 2019 by disneylover89

[derek005]

26 minutes ago, disneylover89 said:

WOW!  $7 for a bottle of water!?! That is worse than Disney!  I guess I will be bringing my refillable water bottle.  Does the Joy have free water and juice dispensers by the buffets?

It does. I left out one thing on my initial post. There is a great seafood restaurant in Seattle right by Pike Market called Cutter's and it is on the water. The seafood and everything else was outstanding.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, jarett said:

Hellooooo!

 

Getting onto the NCL Joy this Saturday and wondering if anyone can answer some of our questions please....is there, and when are the:

 

- 80’s night

- White Hot Party

- Karaoke Nights

 

What were your tour highlights? I think we’re getting 7 days of Rain, LOL....oh well, still beats working, I think....

 

Thank You, and I hope your cruise was enjoyable!!!!!

 

 

See our live post on the link below for dailies and your highlights st the end

 

 

[teachberry]

On the Joy now! Yes, check out BirdTravels report...it covers everything, even the cigar lounge! On restaurants...I was disappointed in the Q. We used our dining package and wouldn't pay to eat there. Be sure to check out the Observation Lounge. There is a small breakfast and lunch buffet set out there. Also the American Dinner has a nice complimentary breakfast (bring a jacket, it is cool). My only big disappointment in our cruise is the lack of close up glacier viewing. Enjoy your trip! One more thing...the gift shop has Alaska items half off, as does many of the souvenir shops in town.

[elwood_98034]

1 hour ago, jarett said:

Hellooooo!

 

Getting onto the NCL Joy this Saturday and wondering if anyone can answer some of our questions please....is there, and when are the:

 

- 80’s night

- White Hot Party

- Karaoke Nights

 

How were the pay restaurants?

Did anyone UPGRADE their drink package, and was it worth the extra $$$$$ ??

 

What were your tour highlights? I think we’re getting 7 days of Rain, LOL....oh well, still beats working, I think....

 

Thank You, and I hope your cruise was enjoyable!!!!!

 

 

We got back last Saturday.

We saw some people walking around dressed all in white, but just figured they were filming a 70's pron movie due to the big hats and boots. We didn't like to ask what the deal was.

 

Le Bistro was good, but the servings were small for the price. Cagney's was much better, and we went twice. The American Diner was bad, and always deserted. Room service is excellent. 

We went for the Premium Plus drinks package. For the additional cost ($29/day) we found it was a great value. Some wines were $99 a bottle, and I guesstimate that we broke even on the second night. We often ordered doubles and took them back to our room (Haven). The bottled water was a bonus, so was the Starbucks. Being able to order bottled wine at dinner was a bonus as well, as we could order one just before we left, and then take it back to our room. 

We did the ziplining at Hoonah. That was good. We didn't bother doing any tours, as we have been up there a few times previously, and if you wanted to see wildlife you just needed to sit on your balcony. Ketchikan and Juneau are fun to walk around for an hour or so, but they don't offer a whole lot except fake fossils and endless jewellery stores, and you really get the hard sell on most things. The lumberjack show is OK, but book it yourself. It is right next to the ship. Creek Street is a nice walk too. Victoria is lovely, as usual. Do a carriage ride. 

We had heavy fog for much of the week, so it was quite cool, and we missed the glacier thing entirely. 

 

My kids did the waterslides a couple of times, but didn't like them. Especially the drop one. The pools were cold. I don't recall seeing many people in them. Hot tubs were at 150% capacity all the time. They did the video game thing, but only stayed for half an hour, as they said the games weren't that good. The shops on board were a rip. My kids both bought cheap watches, and paid about 40% more than shore prices, but there was no way to check (dud internet). Duty free liquor prices were good for what we bought though.

 

The Garden Cafe was a mosh pit, but the food was good. The crepes were a total fail. No Nutella.

 

Pay attention to the 'Back on Board' times. We saw a couple and their little kid get left on the dock in Hoonah. They weren't happy.

 

To Summarize:

Take a pair of binoculars

Sit on your balcony

Take very, very, comfortable shoes

Take a raincoat

Get the drinks package

Practice talking like John Holmes in case you get invited to a filming, or a special party

[aero777]

American Dinner bad? Judge for yourself:

 

Lobster Roll

 

Fried Seafood Plater

 

French Dip made with prime rib

[elwood_98034]

15 minutes ago, aero777 said:

American Dinner bad? Judge for yourself:

 

Lobster Roll

 

Fried Seafood Plater

 

French Dip made with prime rib

My nachos were cold, and the fried chicken was dripping with grease. The mac and cheese was pretty good though.

The pic below was taken at 8.06pm last Friday night. The place was always empty, or nearly empty. Cagneys and Le Bistro were packed.

[timf2001]

Is American Diner even open for dinner?  I know Margaritaville is only open for Breakfast & Lunch.

[elwood_98034]

45 minutes ago, timf2001 said:

Is American Diner even open for dinner?  I know Margaritaville is only open for Breakfast & Lunch.

Good question. We never seemed to see anyone in there just about any time we went past. Perhaps limited opening hours was part of the problem.

[aero777]

2 hours ago, elwood_98034 said:

My nachos were cold, and the fried chicken was dripping with grease. The mac and cheese was pretty good though.

The pic below was taken at 8.06pm last Friday night. The place was always empty, or nearly empty. Cagneys and Le Bistro were packed.

 

Just politely tell your server the problem and they’ll redo it or suggest something else. No big deal. 

American Dinner open 12 to 5, so yes it’s empty at 8:06 pm🤣

[elwood_98034]

22 minutes ago, aero777 said:

 

Just politely tell your server the problem and they’ll redo it or suggest something else. No big deal. 

American Dinner open 12 to 5, so yes it’s empty at 8:06 pm🤣

5.00pm? Interesting. It was a shame, because the menu was really nice, but they were short on the follow through. 

[LaCal]

3 hours ago, aero777 said:

American Dinner bad? Judge for yourself:

 

Lobster Roll

 

Fried Seafood Plater

 

French Dip made with prime rib

Looks excellent to me 😜.  How much were the lobster rolls?

[aero777]

1 hour ago, LaCal said:

Looks excellent to me 😜.  How much were the lobster rolls?

$11.99 

[LaCal]

16 minutes ago, aero777 said:

$11.99 

Not bad at all 😜

[disneylover89]

5 hours ago, aero777 said:

American Dinner bad? Judge for yourself:

 

Lobster Roll

 

Fried Seafood Plater

 

French Dip made with prime rib

Did you have the specialty dining plan?  If so, what was included at the American Diner?

[aero777]

34 minutes ago, disneylover89 said:

Did you have the specialty dining plan?  If so, what was included at the American Diner?

Yes had the plan, but not sure if it’s included. If it is, I think it would be better to use the plan at one of the more expensive restaurants. 

For lunch on embarkation day it’s included for Haven guests.

[Sand and Seas]

We love the Lobster Rolls at Ocean Blue on Breakaway/Getaway.  Does anyone know if these on the Joy are comparably good?

[htnut]

The forecast leading up to our 30 Aug departure on the Joy was also for rain every day. 

 

But we only saw a small amount of rain twice. Never got wet at a port. Hopefully you will have the same luck. 

 

We had heavy fog a few times, and sadly the afternoon we were supposed to see the glaciers it was very thick so they cancelled the glacier viewing. 

 

Don’t worry to much about the food. Everyone’s tastes are different and everyone in our group (4 families, 9 total) all agreed that the food everywhere was outstanding.  I had read so many raving reviews about the banana jar dessert in Q that I was let down.  Not bad, but IMO it was just a good banana pudding with etc.

 

If you’re blessed with a warm morning try American Diner for breakfast (check your freestyle daily for times). It’s free for breakfast when it’s open and - no crowds!

 

About the drink package, I doubt many people see much value beyond the UBP.  The top shelf drinks end up being just a few dollars over your “allowance” of $15. 

 

Contrary to Elwood’s experience, the pools were warm enough and our kids enjoyed the VR games. Over $100 worth of enjoyment 😮.  The water slides were also a hit. My son did them more than a half dozen times, I did them 3 times.  My biggest complaint was Entourage... a complete disappointment.  I need to write a complaint to NCL about it.  Mostly it was a flop because not many 13-17 year olds were on this voyage - but the staff did absolutely nothing to create interest.  

 

You will have a great time. The staff on the Joy are incredible, most everyone was so courteous and attentive.  Make time to relax, there’s almost too much to do. 

Edited September 13, 2019 by htnut

[elwood_98034]

21 minutes ago, htnut said:

The forecast leading up to our 30 Aug departure on the Joy was also for rain every day. 

 

But we only saw a small amount of rain twice. Never got wet at a port. Hopefully you will have the same luck. 

 

We had heavy fog a few times, and sadly the afternoon we were supposed to see the glaciers it was very thick so they cancelled the glacier viewing. 

 

Don’t worry to much about the food. Everyone’s tastes are different and everyone in our group (4 families, 9 total) all agreed that the food everywhere was outstanding.  I had read so many raving reviews about the banana jar dessert in Q that I was let down.  Not bad, but IMO it was just a good banana pudding with etc.

 

If you’re blessed with a warm morning try American Diner for breakfast (check your freestyle daily for times). It’s free for breakfast when it’s open and - no crowds!

 

About the drink package, I doubt many people see much value beyond the UBP.  The top shelf drinks end up being just a few dollars over your “allowance” of $15. 

 

Contrary to Elwood’s experience, the pools were warm enough and our kids enjoyed the VR games. Over $100 worth of enjoyment 😮.  The water slides were also a hit. My son did them more than a half dozen times, I did them 3 times.  My biggest complaint was Entourage... a complete disappointment.  I need to write a complaint to NCL about it.  Mostly it was a flop because not many 13-17 year olds were on this voyage - but the staff did absolutely nothing to create interest.  

 

You will have a great time. The staff on the Joy are incredible, most everyone was so courteous and attentive.  Make time to relax, there’s almost too much to do. 

We were surprised by how cool the pools were. We did the Sun and Jewel a few years ago, and the pools were almost as warm as the hot tubs. Way cooler on the Joy, same as the Haven pool.

Hey, did you notice on the AquaRacer that the kids had to get off and run down the Port side stairs, and around the back of the funnel on the jogging track, forward, and then up the Starboard stairs to have another turn? If you went up the stairs to where the splash pool exit was, right where the girl stood to collect the tubes there was a sheltered walkway leading forward. She was standing on it. When you went around to the other side - that walkway led directly across to the entry of the AquaRacer.

Why make kids with wet feet run down a flight of stairs, around the back of the funnel, then back up another flight of stairs in the cold, when they could just take the walkway between the exit and the entry to go again?  They had signs on the jogging track warning of a slip hazard because of the water, and my daughter only did it twice because she said it was too cold (and she was embarrassed running around in her swimsuit - she's 13). I asked the attendant if the kids were allowed to use the walkway, and she said, 'Nope'. But her boyfriend walked over on it from the Starboard side to chat her up, which is how I figured out it was there in the first place.

It seemed a bit mean to make kids with wet feet run up and down stairs, and on the jogging track in the cold while wearing their swimsuits. 

 

 

[Luigi007]

I was on the Bliss last week, not the Joy. I hear they are quite similar, almost identical, the Bliss being a bit newer. 

 

Restaurants:

 

We went to 5 paid ones and 5 complimentary ones.

 

Paid:

 

La Cucina, outstanding. Best meal of the trip.

Food Republic, imaginative, creative, well-presented, exquisite mostly Asian fusion food. We very much liked it.

Los Lobos, surprisingly good. We thought, Mexican food, eh... but thankfully we went there, because it's Mexican food with a modern twist and it was very, very good.

Le Bistro - surprisingly, disappointing. It's considered to be their best restaurant, but clearly wasn't. And it's not because I dislike French cuisine, much the opposite, I love it, and I lived in Paris, France, for five years. I know French Cuisine. Le Bistro was mediocre at best.

Ocean Blue - also surprisingly, as it is considered the other upscale one together with Le Bistro, rather ordinary. We had better seafood in other venues on the Bliss than on the specialized seafood Ocean Blue, paradoxically.

 

Complimentary:

 

The Manhattan Room - pretty good, almost as good as the best paid ones.

Savor - rather bad

Taste - rather bad. Breakfast there at one point was almost disgusting.

The Garden Cafe - large, chaotic buffet, small tables, too crowded, the food is mediocre

The Local - pretty good, relaxed, peaceful

 

The Observation Lounge, also complimentary, has nice snacks throughout the day. 

[Luigi007]

21 minutes ago, elwood_98034 said:

We were surprised by how cool the pools were. We did the Sun and Jewel a few years ago, and the pools were almost as warm as the hot tubs. Way cooler on the Joy, same as the Haven pool.

 

 

On the Norwegian Bliss, the pool was almost as warm as the some of the hot tubs (which should actually be called the lukewarm tubs). I loved the water temperature in the main Norwegian Bliss pool.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Luigi007