bkrickles1

I just re-read the op's post and they went on the daytime snorkel excursion with Celebrity on the Rising Son II. Same catamaran, different excursion. The nighttime one should be great! Thanks for the input.

I sailed Joy to Bermuda last July and I'm sailing Joy again this July. NCL works for me right now. I sailed rccl almost exclusively for many years, but NCL with their fas perks and really good musical entertainment has gotten me to return for 4 sailings in a row. I like to drink and listen to live music when I vacation, and I'm a simple drinker. Bloody Mary's in the morning, Beer all day, a couple G & T's before dinner and who knows after that. Lmao! Even when I used the 2 for 1 airfare perk, it worked out perfectly for me. So, as I said, right now NCL works for me and my family. I'll, of course, reevaluate when it's time to book another sailing in the future. I look forward to doing a comparison to see what, if anything, has changed since last year. Obviously I'm aware of the once a day cabin service, but I'm most interested in seeing, if I can remember, the difference in staffing, food, entertainment and whatever else we come across. We had a wonderful time last year on Joy, loving the entertainment and staff, while enjoying most of the food we came across. There was a vodka shortage at the end of our sailing and I know some other things, like cream cheese, were also scarce. We always sail with other people, which is why I never get to book the Haven or Vibe, and I'm always with the masses. That's ok by me though. I am always well prepared and we always enjoy ourselves thoroughly. It also allows me to look at things more objectively, I believe, because I never get to go behind the magical Haven curtain. I am constantly surprised by how many of the regulars on these forums stay in the Haven. I feel like I'm part of the minority when I read CC, when in reality, I'm part of the vast majority. It's the unprepared people that get super frustrated and I feel bad for them because, when I started cruising, it was a turnkey process. No reservations or stand by lines and the crew to passenger ratios were way better. Cruising was simpler back then and I miss that more than turndown service or any special liquor missing from my drink package. We had newbies with us last summer and will have newbies again this time around. I've already told them what was and what is and what they should expect in general. They weren't happy with the pricing, especially when they heard what I paid for the identical sailing just 12 months ago. I'm hoping, with some tips from me, that they'll have an awesome week and become cruise lovers like many of us on here. Anyway, thanks for the thread Gary. It shines a light on what's going on at every cruise line in existence right now. Everyone sail safe!

I didn't see it when I first clicked on the link, but it's still less expensive to book with NCL if you have the free at sea perk which almost everyone does who sails NCL. I paid $108 for both my wife and I.

I am going on this excursion at the end of July when we sail on ncl Joy. My wife and I plus another couple are going. With the free at sea $50 perk, it's virtually the same price as booking direct. I'm sure the drinks are weak but they are unlimited so there's that. Anyway, we are looking forward to it and expect it to be a beautiful ride. BTW the link above takes you to a different excursion that is only 90 minutes. https://www.risingsoncruises.com/sunset-cruises/ This is the link to book directly.

Rumours was the first album I ever purchased in 1977, when I was 12yo. Still one of the greatest "rock" albums ever!! I'd love to see this show, but I'm sailing Joy next in July and I'll have to settle for the Beatles in the Cavern Club. Meet the Beatles was actually the first album I owned, but my father gave it to me when I was 9.

We were a group of 29 on a rccl sailing about 8 years ago and every one of us had dinner together every night and it was sooooo much fun. Ages went from young teens to grandparents in their mid 70's. We had early seating at 6pm and we made our arrangements before we sailed. We had 3 tables for 10 right next to each other by the windows and it was a party atmosphere every night. Some days you'd go all day and not see more than a handful of your people and then everyone would show up for dinner to describe their adventures. It was one of my favorite cruises and I don't believe anyone was resentful. There was some minor switching of seats night to night, but really not much as some of us enjoyed having our favorite drink waiting for us at our seat when we arrived every night and we didn't want to mess up our servers. Lmao!! Anyway, I'd say it's all about the group of people you have. We had 29 people who wanted to have those dinners together every night, but be on their own the rest of the time.

It's possible they only do 1 theater show for such a short sailing.

Did they give a reason and was that the 5 day itinerary?

You're 100% right! I sailed Joy last summer and I'm going again in July and Spice is definitely more important on Joy than Escape. And I loved that Joy had the OL too, even for a summer Bermuda sailing. Escape had a secret space on deck 19, right outside of Vibe, that virtually nobody discovered for like 2 days. It's a public sun deck that's off the beaten track. It has it's own bar, whirlpool and misting station. It's just a fantastic area if you love the sun. I was tricked last year into thinking Joy had the same space. If you look at the deck plans on ncl.com it shows that area as public space, just like Escape, but it's not. It's part of a very large Vibe.

I've sailed both and I give the edge to Escape! Escape has Spice while Encore doesn't. And yes, Spice is adults only during the day and the rules seemed to be enforced on my sailing. It's a great area with, at least 1 whirlpool, and a nice spot to cool down. There's also a bar, naturally. Escape has no racetrack, which I was happy about, but doesn't have the Observation Lounge, which is just an awesome space on Encore. Sailing in summer weather, you won't miss it though. Once you board, go directly to Teppenyaki to make all of your dinner reservations. It's easy and they hold back many of the reservations for after boarding so I'm sure you'll be happy with the choices.

I saw a pic of those pizzas right here on this thread. They look good and I don't remember if I saw them on Joy last year, but I'll look for them in July when I return to Joy. I'm a 50 something and I certainly don't appreciate other 50 somethings giving us a bad name. If it had been me cutting the line, I would have left at least one or two slices. Lol!! BTW, how long did it take for new pizza to be brought out?

Lmao! No, I'm not in HR. I was discussing this thread with my 23yo daughter, who's going on Escape in less than 3 weeks, and we couldn't picture how something like this would/could happen. That's actually where the questions came from. My daughter has been on many cruises with her mother and I, so she's as well versed with all the crazies as I am. These are stories you crack up about later at dinner or after returning from your sailing. It's like a rite of passage to see people do stupid things. Lol!!!! And sus/sussed is something my daughter has never heard before (I just asked her). How's that for a large sample size? Lmao!!

We were also on Joy last year. June 26th sailing, I believe. We had both Footloose and Elements. I agree that Elements was great, although we sat too close to the stage and had stuff going on right behind us. Footloose was pretty good, not great. A little long and a little slow at times, but I'd definitely go since you missed it last time. We're also sailing Joy again this summer. July 23rd sailing. We have newbies going with us and I'll recommend that they go to both shows. My wife and I might skip Footloose this time but are definitely up for seeing Elements again and we plan on sitting a little further back this time. Joy's entertainment was actually pretty excellent last year. Lot's of music, including the Beatles tribute shows, the 2 Broadway style productions, a magician and 2 comedians. WE WERE ENTERTAINED! Lmao!!

I've been reading this thread and it's beyond humorous, so thanks for the laugh!! I do have a couple of questions though. How many of you were waiting in line for pizza when this "gang" approached? I've never really seen a line for pizza in all of my sailings but I guess it can happen at the busiest of times. Also, how many were in this group that cut the line? "They" said there was 21 in their group, but how many were actually cutting and taking all the pizza? Did they take the spatulas right out of your hands? This leads me to my last question. How many pizzas did they take? I've only seen pizza pre-sliced so how did they get all of this pizza back to their group? One person can only really carry two plates and you can only fit a few slices on each plate. The logistics of your story makes little sense to me. And, the only real issue is the cutting in line as, technically, you can take as much as you can fit on your plate at a buffet. And, there had to be new pizza brought out within 5 - 10 minutes as I've never seen a cruise ship run out of pizza ever! I've seen many rude things on a cruise ship over the years and this wouldn't even make my top 10 list. I'd have been annoyed for maybe 30 seconds and then I would have laughed and gotten one of the hundred other things available until new pizza was deployed.

Yep, on my Escape, Encore and Joy sailings there was always, I believe, 2 coffee stations set up on the Waterfront. I think they were set up by 6am and I never saw another person out there when I would go early in the morning. Also, on Joy last summer, they had coffee and juice set up in Spice. Also by 6am, I believe. I'd go to the gym at around 5:30am and I'd walk out to Spice when I finished at around 6:30 - 6:45am and have some oj and a coffee. Coffee was decent and the views were awesome. Just have to keep some distance from the smokers who are always out there. Lol.

While I don't completely disagree with you, if I order 4 sushi rolls (which are similar in size to what I get here on LI) and it costs me $41 total, that's a significant savings over what I pay at home. At home, I'd probably pay in the neighborhood of $60 for 4 rolls plus tax and gratuity which would come out to around $80. I do remember sailing on Dawn when it was brand new and paying $10 to eat at Le Bistro. That was definitely worth it!

My daughter has the same for her Escape sailing in May. Mine is the 82.80 for some reason on Joy in July.

I'm surprised by your comparison of Food Republic to Applebee's. Of all the specialty restaurants on NCL, Food Republic gets consistently good to excellent reviews. Last summer, on Joy, I went for the first time for lunch with my daughter and her bf and it was very good. Way better than Applebee's, which I haven't been to in a few years too. We used 2 credits so we had 8 items and all 3 of us enjoyed it. I'm actually considering getting the $82.80 2 meal bump, just for myself, on our upcoming sailing on Joy so I can go for lunch again. I know it's not a "great" deal, but it's definitely well worth it for me.

Absolutely!

You're wrong and you make zero sense.

The only time I've made it out of a mdr in less than an hour is one time when we only ordered appetizers. 45 minutes to an hour is crazy 🤪 talk. Lmao 😂

That's great news! Thanks for checking on that. As another poster said, it's always a fun sing along and I look forward to it again on my July sailing on Joy.

The Beatles Tribute band played, at least a couple of nights in the Cavern Club and in the main theater too. It would be a blow to the entertainment if it was no longer.

I haven't looked it up, but what about children of military members? And I mean adult children. TIA

I see you were in cabin 13525. My wife and I are booked in 13555 for a July sailing on Joy. This is our 3rd vacation this year, so we're trying to save a little. I did put in an upgrade bid though. We sailed Joy last summer too, in a club balcony, and had heard about breakfast at American Diner, but never actually went over to see what was up. Is it anything like the limited buffet they had at Margaritaville on Escape? Also, I read on someone's review of Joy that there was no more Beatles tribute band? I must have read that wrong, but can you confirm? TIA BTW, your comments on the pool area and Spice, can mostly be explained by the fact that the ship was built for the Asian market. I've seen video on youtube from before the refurb and it's actually pretty amazing the changes that were made. And, half our group from last summer really loved the overhangs on deck 17. We had a few chairs under and a few outside. My only gripe with deck 17 was how narrow it was with no whirlpools. Thanks for the review and I look forward to the rest!