salzdt

Hi everyone, we just got back from the B/B Boston to Quebec .  We had a great time, but I could have used another sea day.  You will have a great time, sorry you have to miss a few ports.  NCL wants to keep you safe. The staff is amazing and makes you days very enjoyable..  I have mobility problems, and everyone was extremely helpful!

Dot and Fred

On 6/28/2023 at 8:55 AM, Dorhead1230 said:

@salzdt schools in the tri-state are generally in session until at least the week after you booked (in NY we go until pretty much the end of June), so you shouldn’t be packed with kids then. Obviously the big ships always get kids because there’s so many activities for them, but you wouldn’t be overrun the first week in June.

Thanks for the heads up.

3 hours ago, uneamie said:

No I am not there....I don't do "Meet and Greets". 

3 hours ago, uneamie said:

No I am not there....I don't do "Meet and Greets". 

O.K hope toes you around!

5 minutes ago, uneamie said:

LOL....I have a dark red walker but I don't use it much on the ship....only in places where I may have to stand long periods of time or long lines. It is for my back issues. I will be sure to look for ya! 

5 minutes ago, uneamie said:

LOL....I have a dark red walker but I don't use it much on the ship....only in places where I may have to stand long periods of time or long lines. It is for my back issues. I will be sure to look for ya! 

5 minutes ago, uneamie said:

LOL....I have a dark red walker but I don't use it much on the ship....only in places where I may have to stand long periods of time or long lines. It is for my back issues. I will be sure to look for ya! 

6 minutes ago, uneamie said:

LOL....I have a dark red walker but I don't use it much on the ship....only in places where I may have to stand long periods of time or long lines. It is for my back issues. I will be sure to look for ya! 

I went to Roll Call and I will look to serif you ere there!

14 hours ago, uneamie said:

We are booked for June 2nd as well...hoping the kiddies are still in school at that time. 

Thanks for your comment.  Look forward seeing you next June. I have a Red Scooter so you can't miss me.!

22 hours ago, Dorhead1230 said:

@salzdt schools in the tri-state are generally in session until at least the week after you booked (in NY we go until pretty much the end of June), so you shouldn’t be packed with kids then. Obviously the big ships always get kids because there’s so many activities for them, but you wouldn’t be overrun the first week in June.

Thanks for that info.  We will look forward to next June on the Joy.

22 hours ago, bjtravelnews said:

Just off the Norwegian Joy, RT NYC/Bermuda, departing June 18, 2023.  Getting onto the ship seemed to be a much easier process this year.  We boarded on deck 7 and headed down to deck 6 to get some lunch at Savor.  Food was served quickly and was pretty good.  Nice to have those first drinks, too!   There is no formal muster drill since everyone was required to watch the safety video as part of the online check in (and several emails prior to sailing to watch it again).  We simply had to report to our assigned muster station and have our card scanned.

 

I am going to separate my comments into the good and bad, starting with the ship itself.  We love the casual atmosphere of Norwegian.  Despite the large number of people on board, the public spaces rarely felt so crowded that we couldn't find a seat somewhere.  The Waterfront on deck 8 is amazing.  Great views and very quiet during the day.  District Brew House is one of our favorite places on the ship.  We never seen a huge crowd there (maybe because it's tucked away in a corner).  Overall, all the staff was extremely nice and polite.  However, I could sense an underlying current that some were stressed due to serving the large number of passengers (we were close to a sell out).  We never had a bad meal on the ship.  If anything negative could be said, I would say that we get too much food at the sit-down restaurants.  I would love to have the option of smaller portions to avoid wasting so much food.  We ate at Ocean Blue and Cagney's Steakhouse.  Food was excellent at both, as was the service.  There were times that service was a bit slow at Taste and Savor, but the food was good.  Same for the Local.  The Local is also a really great place for a sit-down breakfast.  There was a great variety of food in the buffet and it was always good.   There was sometimes a wait to get into the Manhattan Room, but it wasn't a long wait.   I think this has more to do with under-staffing rather than the number of people dining. 

We had a balcony cabin.  Although the these rooms seem to be smaller than other cruise line balcony cabins, it was adequate space for the two of us.  On the other hand, our friends had 3 females in a balcony cabin and it was very tight.  Shampoo and soap are now in dispensers in the shower.  I miss having the individual bottles, but I understand the waste and extra cost associated with that.  Forewarning - the cruise line also has done away with the other extras, like lotion and the small amenity boxes.  Our top favorite place on the ship is the Observation Lounge in the front of the ship, with two-story floor to ceiling windows looking out the front of the ship.  There is a bar here (servers also walk around taking drink orders) and a Starbucks (extra cost, even for those with the beverage package).  At times, there was food served inside the main space and also along the sides leading into the main space.  On our last year's cruise on the Joy, the Observation Lounge was relatively empty.  The word must have gotten out because it was much more crowded this time.  There is always seating available on each side of the ship, leading into the main section of the Lounge.

 

Bermuda, as always, was beautiful.  This was our seventh trip to the island.  The people are very friendly and helpful if you need directions.  Norwegian has its own ferry to St. George, but there are also public ferries going to both St. George and Hamilton.  The buses are also very easy to navigate.  We rarely take shore excursion except for the sunset cruises.  I highly recommend a one or two day transportation pass so you don't have to deal with the complicated system of fares by zone.  The passes are good for both the ferries and buses.  We lucked out with weather.  It was beautiful and there was only a spritz of rain here and there.  For several weeks prior, we were watching the Joy from the Port Bermuda webcam and it was raining all the time.  People in Bermuda said it was the most rain they have gotten in over 100 years.  In fact, the huge amount of rain was causing issues with draining and sewage.  We are not beach people and have done Horseshoe Bay several times.  So we took the NCL ferry to St. George on Wednesday.  Thursday we took the public ferry to Hamilton, shopped a bit, then took a bus to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo.  From there, we got on the bus again to stop at the Swizzle Inn for a late lunch.  This is quite the experience and we go back every year.  We then took the bus to St. George and then the NCL ferry back to the Dockyard.  A heads up for anyone who needs to know - there is no bus service from St. George to the Dockyard.  You must take a bus to Hamilton.  From there, you can transfer to one of the buses that goes to the Dockyard or pick up the public ferry.  Friday we stuck around the Dockyard, went to the National Museum (the fort), saw the dolphins at Dolphin Quest (part of the admission to the fort, but interaction is an extra cost) and explored the Commissioner's House.  Great views from here.  We were required to be back on the ship at 2:30 for a 3:00 sail away.  We always try to be back early to avoid the long lines.  This year for the first time, we saw pier runners - those stragglers who don't get to the pier until we are ready to leave.  There were several small groups watching on deck 8 and cheering the stragglers on to "run."

 

Now for the not-so-good:  

Normally, rooms would be ready sometime between 2 and 3.  It's quite obvious that NCL has cut staff to the bare bones.  Our rooms were not available until after 4 PM!  Rooms on the higher floors were available first.  I was also disappointed that sail away was moved from 4 PM to 6 PM.  That meant that many people were eating dinner while the ship was pulling out of port and sailing out of the harbor.  As always, the Garden Buffet was chaotic and very busy. Despite the spaciousness, it almost always felt very crowded.  We have learned to find tables all the way back (at the front of the ship) as there seems to be more open seating there. 

We didn't even try to see the shows (we've seen Footloose and Elements previously, so not a priority for us).  But the shows were sold old almost immediately 

Dinners in the Specialty Restaurants were over the top.  However, I am very disappointed in the lack of passenger respect for the dress code.  Ocean Blue is one of the places where guests are asked to dress more formally (upscale business attire).  We even got a reminder phone call in the room about the dress requirements.  I was disappointed to see men and women in shorts and very casual clothing.  Same for the Steakhouse.  I think it takes away from the special experience of these dining venues.

Elevators were often crowded and there were teens who were playing the game of pushing all the buttons to make them stop at every floor.  They also were running up and down the stairs to push the buttons on the floors outside the elevators.  We took the stairs whenever we could. 

Everyone in our group had the same complaint about the pool area.  Chair hogs getting up early, putting their stuff on the the lounge chairs by the pool, then going to breakfast.  Even through the day, they would leave to do something else and keep their chairs "reserved" for when they came back.  The attendants at the towel exchange said it no one returns in 30 minutes, another passenger is allowed to remove the items from the chair.  They were not going to enforce the rule.  Considering how much people were drinking on the ship, this sounds like a potential for serious confrontation.  Too bad there isn't a way to reserve chairs for a two hour period - NCL could make a lot of money on that.  The tiny pools were always crowded.  Some people literally got into the pool and stayed there the entire day, having drinks brought to them.  One of my friends complained about not being able to even get into the pool.  Someone reminded her that those people who lined the edges were drinking all day and not getting out - so good chance the pool was also their bathroom!  (Some of the people in our group paid for the Vibe Beach Club passes just to avoid these issues and said it was well worth the extra cost.)

I was with a group of friends and family (we had 22 cabins).  The biggest gripe for everyone was the smoking.  Despite the no smoking policy, people were smoking all over the ship on the outside decks.  Staff did not appear to stop anyone.  People were smoking on the balconies.  The people in the cabin next to us were smoking marijuana on their balcony so often that it became hard for us to sit on our balcony.  Friends said they had the same problem. 

We used to Norwegian app to stay in touch with everyone.  While a great option without having to use internet, there were times when it didn't seem to work and we constantly had to reconnect to the ship's wifi.

I was told the Joy will be heading for some refurbishment in Jan/Feb of next year.  The ship is starting to show age and these are badly needed. 

We arrived back in NY much earlier than previous years.  By 5:00 am we were already docked.  In past years, we were able to get up just before 5 and see the lighted bridge and the beautiful NYC skyline as we pulled into the harbor. I believe the crew needs the extra time once we are docked because the ship is so short-staffed.

 

Bermuda - not many negative comments here.  However, I was greatly disappointed in the Dockyard.  The stores used to be open late to allow ship passengers to shop.  Everything was closed by 5:00.   Snorkel Park Beach used to be open the entire time until late at night.  The hours are now very limited.  I heard that they have opened a sister venue at Tobacco Bay, so I am guessing that's where they now concentrate their efforts.  Snorkel Park Beach was open during the day on Friday, which is nice for those who want to have some beach time, but don't want to leave the Dockyard.  We walked into the Fun Golf.  This place is heavily advertised on the ship and on the signs in the Dockyard.  Perhaps at one time it was a nice place.  However, it is now a bit run down and could use some renovations and updates.  There were some people golfing when we visited, but not many.  And most of those there were sitting on the benches and drinking.  At one time there was much more here.  Now, everything in that area looks like it either had been abandoned or was close to being abandoned.

 

 Overall comments:

We love Norwegian Cruise Line and it's casual atmosphere.  It's great being able to eat when and where we want, as opposed to a set dining time with the same group of people every night.  While most passengers were polite, there were some very rude people.  This was especially prevalent on the elevators where some passengers would immediately hit the close door button, even though they were the only one on the elevator. 

For Bermuda - it's our favorite cruise destination out of NYC.  We love having almost three days on the island.  Despite having been there, now for the 7th time, we always find something new.  This year, we walked beyond the main tourist area in St. George and found a beautiful park.  There is so much to do on the island and we love how safe it is and easy to get around on public transportation.

We missed not stopping in Norfolk.  We were lucky to have experienced that stop last year and were disappointed it has been dropped from the itinerary (sadly, NCL should have returned the port fees we paid for Norfolk).

 

One comment about the Meet and Greet.  I started a roll call well over a year before sailing.  It wasn't real active, but there were 24 people signed up for the Meet and Greet.  Only two other people showed up.  It was embarrassing to me because the crew puts a lot of effort into the time and space.  I also bring a lot of gifts to hand out.  Most of them went to the crew.  PLEASE - if you sign up for a meet and greet, attend!  

 

We will be back again next year on the Joy, same itinerary.   If anyone has any questions about the ship or things to do in Bermuda

We just signed up for June  - 2 - 7. Never have been on a big ship, but decided to bite the bullet and try the Joy out of NYC.  We sailed on the Dawn out of Boston in 2018, because e it was the smaller ship.  Great Cruise.  Some of your negative comments make think we should change and go out of Boston, as I use a scooter and rely on an elevator to get around not the ship.  We are booked on 12th floor, handicapped. room aft facing balcony..  Maybe there won't be too many kids on the early June cruise.

We have time to think about it.  Thanks for your review.

We have always had our concerns about bigger ships, now I know will stick to the Jewel class ships.  No Creaking walls on rough sea days!😎.

On 4/10/2023 at 12:22 PM, graphicguy said:

Great review so far.  And, you’re staying in one of the best and nicest cabins on the ship.  You get all the en perks without paying the Haven price. Looking forward to the rest of the review.  Thanks!

What cabin are you staying in?

On 1/22/2023 at 2:24 PM, TACoor said:

Is this something new, not being able to select a cabin, it will be assigned just before sailing? We haven't sailed since before covid, but in the past I have always carefully chosen our cabin location - not right at the elevators, cabins on the deck above and below (not over or under potentially noisy public venues), prefer not adjoining rooms. I'm just not happy about being placed wherever they put us. Is there any way to actually select a cabin at booking?

Call your PCP he/she will be assign cabin.

Any one.  the t can give me information on how to start a Roll Call,I would appreciate your input.

Thanks. This for 2024 on the Gem, Boston to Bermuda.

On 4/6/2023 at 6:51 PM, styles27 said:

My (our) bags are packed, we’re ready to go I’m standing here outside your door….🎶 

I’ve had that song in my head all day! 🙈
 

I’m looking forward to boarding the beautiful Pearl tomorrow with my husband and our 9 yr old grandson!  
We took him on this cruise last Easter too but we’re expecting a full ship this year.

 

We live about 45 min south of Boston which is why we cruise to Bermuda as much as we do. You cannot beat not having to fly to a port!

 

Our last cruise was over New Year’s on MSC Divina for 14

days and it was a not so pleasant experience.

The ship and crew were great no complaints there…it was the hundreds of rude passengers that was hard to take for that many days. 
So back to Norwegian we come and we hope it’s a more positive experience. 
 

I hope you’ll follow along!(hopefully the internet will cooperate)

 

Will be back in the morning to report on embarkation! ⚓️🛳️

 

 

 

Where is the best parking?  We will be cruising to Canada in September. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Dot and Fred Salzberg

Why in 2024, there are no smaller ships like the Gem sailed out of NYC in Feb.  or March

On 1/18/2023 at 1:12 PM, Cruising Lynne said:

We park in a lot that is right in front of the ship. It is a short walk to the terminal from there. Sometimes my husband drops me off with the luggage then parks, and sometimes we park and walk over together. 

On 1/18/2023 at 1:12 PM, Cruising Lynne said:

We park in a lot that is right in front of the ship. It is a short walk to the terminal from there. Sometimes my husband drops me off with the luggage then parks, and sometimes we park and walk over together. 

Thank you

Can anyone give suggestions for parking at Boston terminal.  In 2018 we found a parking garage that provided a shuttle to the ship.

Thanks,

Dot and Fred

On 1/9/2023 at 4:34 PM, cruiserbear55 said:

  

   There is Lot C1 right off of Black Falcon Ave. It is right in front of the ship if the ship docks bow-in, as most do. This is the closest parking to the ships. Needs to be booked online and sells out fast for every cruise.  

    There is the Flynn Terminal parking garage. No reservations required. Also numerous other lots and parking garages generally within easy walking distance of the pier.

   My recommendation, if there are two or more of you, is to pull up to check-in area on Black Falcon Ave. and unload everything. Give your luggage to a porter, and one of you sits with your carry-ons, etc., while the other goes and parks the car. Sure beats lugging lots of stuff any distance. And do the same when you disembark. Happy sailing!!

Thank you for the information.  Our cruise is September 1,2023, so I will start to look and make reservations early.

We cruised from Boston in 2018 and was able to sign up for a Parking area that took us to the ship.  Anybody know is that is still available?

What is the difference between  Balcony and Club Balcony on the Pear;.  We are booked on a B/B in September 2023 Boston to Quebec and back.

Just now, salzdt said:

Hi Denise, we will be going on this cruise next Sept 2023. Do they ask you for a negative Covid test or do they test you at the port.?

Just now, salzdt said:

Hi Denise, we will be going on this cruise next Sept 2023. Do they ask you for a negative Covid test or do they test you at the port.?

Also we booked a balcony, what is the difference between balcony and club balcony?

On 10/12/2022 at 4:46 PM, Denise T said:

A little bit more about my trip. My sister and I are in a balcony club suite on deck 11 aft. My sister gets claustrophobic so a balcony it is. We chose not to upgrade because we are happy with what we have. No Haven for us as we are just not interested in it. Our goal is to relax and enjoy ourselves. We will do our best to avoid very crowded areas and take the stairs mostly (I am a diabetic so I try to walk as much as I can). If necessary, we will wear masks as I am considered high risk (I am fully vaccinated and boosted and already had COVID). We may come down with COVID as we will be going through airports and such and if that happens, it is what it is. 

 

We are booked for Cagney's and La Cuchina. We plan to try the main dining rooms, the buffet, Lotus Garden, and O'Sheehan's. Will we be able to see the Eagle's game on Sunday or a Phillies game, who knows? I would like to get a massage and perhaps I will set foot in the gym. Since my sister and I are such workaholics, we are going to attempt to be as unstructured as possible. Will it work? Let's hope so. 

 

We will be in Boston tomorrow and I will try to get some pictures there. Looks like rain, so we will play it by ear. We may be sailing out on Friday in a thunderstorm! 

 

Stay tuned for more!

Hi Denise, we will be going on this cruise next Sept 2023. Do they ask you for a negative Covid test or do they test you at the port.?

On 1/30/2022 at 7:53 PM, sanger727 said:

I’m still not totally sure if you are asking about the beverage package or a roll call…

 

if you are getting the free at sea rate anyway, then it comes down to whether or not you’ll average $20 a day in drinks each. 2 alcoholic or 1 alcoholic plus a few non-alcoholic drinks will do it. Really depends on what ‘occasional’ drinker means to you. Unfortunately the included beverage package doesn’t include bottled water or specialty coffee, so that does make it harder to use if you aren’t much of a drinker.

Thank you!

1 hour ago, cruiserssandr said:

The gratuities on the drink package works out to be $19.80 a day. That is about (a little less) than 2 drinks a day. Not a lot . You can use it for soda and mock cocktails. I like it because all our drinks are paid before we cruise. 

Thank you that gives me better picture of how to use it if we buy it!

8 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

The title of your thread and your post have ZERO to do with the other.  No beverage package for you!

Sorry, I didn't see that it was listed in wrong place!  I wasn't drinking😍

How do you start  Roll Call?  We are booked for next February 27., 2023.  I don't see any listed for that date, and would like to start one.

Thank you

How do you start  Roll Call?  We are booked for next February 27., 2023.  I don't see any listed for that date, and would like to start one.

Thank you