Recent NCL Joy Dailies

[vacation44]

Here are the Dailies from the NCL Joy February 12, 2022 cruise.   I accidently threw out the Daily from Day 1 (sorry), but I do remember there was no comedy show that night and the Beatles show was in the main theatre.   The Beatles show was fabulous and should not be missed.   I am glad we caught the whole show on night one and I would recommend seeing it that way. 

 

Just some quick comments from our trip:

 

1.  We stayed in a Haven HI cabin on Deck 14.   It took all of 35 seconds to go from our cabin to the entrance of the Haven on Deck 17.  We timed it.   For us, our location was absolutely perfect and we would choose this location again instead of paying extra to be in the Haven Courtyard.    We did spend about 50% of our time outside Haven so that works for us.

 

2.  Going to be honest here----a little disappointed with the Haven sun deck.     If the ship was crowded, I believe the Haven sun deck would of been more crowded which would of led to searching for a lounger.     They need to replace those uncomfortable loungers with the normal ones and that would solve some of the problem.   

 

3.   An wonderful experience sailing with approximately 1500 passengers.    No need for any reservations or to get to a show early.  

 

4.  The Haven restaurant.   We did not think we would appreciate and enjoy it as much as we did.  Ended up eating six breakfasts, four dinners and one lunch there and they all were top notch.   I do think the menu is a little limited, but that chocolate cake must be the best dessert I have ever eaten.    

 

5.  Regarding our Butler--not overly impressed.   As per Gary (our Cruise Critic resident expert), we did provide a brief note with our likes and dislikes.  I did stress in person upon meeting her, that we would not eat a lot of the normal food/snack deliveries so please do not deliver them as they would just go to waste.   Every day, they were delivered and went to waste if we were not in the cabin.  

 

6.  Our Cabin Stewart was the best we ever had and we rewarded him all throughout the cruise.   And then some.  

 

It was, I think, the best cruise we ever took and I do think it was because of the near empty ship and not because we were in the Haven.   

 

NCL Joy Day 2.pdf NCL Joy Day 3.pdf NCL Joy Day 4.pdf

Edited February 24, 2022 by vacation44
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[bluesea777]

Thanks for posting the dailies! We (party of 4) are on the Joy in 3 weeks' time and need to know the times of shows, etc, so we can plan our dinners around them.

 

Delighted to see that the Food Republic will be open for lunch of the sea day.

 

Looking forward to seeing Days 5, 6 & 7.

 

Thanks again! 

[luvcruzing]

Thank you for the Dailies, and your comments on the Haven.  Personally, the only reason I would book the Haven again would be for the restaurant.  

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, vacation44 said:

As per Gary (our Cruise Critic resident expert),

@vacation44I would not call me an expert, LOL.  The Haven Butlers are hit/miss for sure.  They should have eliminated the snack as you asked.  The Haven Sundeck was a bit crowded when I cruised the Joy in November also.  As you stated, you could still find a place to sit.

 

Our ship was also low capacity.  It made it great and low stress for sure.  I love your overview and appreciated your dailies.  I agree on the Beatles show for sure.

 

Cruise well.

[CDR Benson]

Many thanks for your debrief and the attachments.  I mentioned in an earlier reply that, for our cruise on Joy in September, we've booked 14778. the starboard-side "mirror image" of your suite.  The location seems to have been as ideal as I anticipated.  (My only item of slight concern is, while your 14178 rests beneath another stateroom, our 14778 lies under one of those blank, unknown-function "crew spaces".  So I'm not sure if any significant noise from above will penetrate.)

 

But what you found is what I felt would be so in my planning:  that the brief time it takes to get to the decks of the Haven proper, makes those two HI suites, with their larger area and balcony size a better deal than staying on the Haven decks.  And less expensive, too.

 

We really appreciate the plans-of-the-day you attached.  On our last cruise, which was our first, we really didn't consult the POD's enough to really take advantage of what the ship had to offer.  Your attachments will help us get an idea of what's on Joy and avoid making that mistake, again.

 

Much obliged.

 

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by CDR Benson

[vacation44]

Sorry.....got distracted at work.  Here are the rest.

NCL Joy Day 5.pdf NCL Joy Day 6.pdf NCL Joy Day 7.pdf

[vacation44]

3 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

Thanks for posting the dailies! We (party of 4) are on the Joy in 3 weeks' time and need to know the times of shows, etc, so we can plan our dinners around them.

 

Delighted to see that the Food Republic will be open for lunch of the sea day.

 

Looking forward to seeing Days 5, 6 & 7.

 

Thanks again! 

You are very welcome and I am sure you will have an wonderful cruise!

[vacation44]

3 hours ago, luvcruzing said:

Thank you for the Dailies, and your comments on the Haven.  Personally, the only reason I would book the Haven again would be for the restaurant.  

You are very welcome.   The Haven resturant, for us, was the best part of the Haven and it definitely would be the leading factor for booking a Haven cabin again.   

[vacation44]

2 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

@vacation44I would not call me an expert, LOL.  The Haven Butlers are hit/miss for sure.  They should have eliminated the snack as you asked.  The Haven Sundeck was a bit crowded when I cruised the Joy in November also.  As you stated, you could still find a place to sit.

 

Our ship was also low capacity.  It made it great and low stress for sure.  I love your overview and appreciated your dailies.  I agree on the Beatles show for sure.

 

Cruise well.

Yes, having a low capacity cruise certainly helped eliminate the stress of a type "A" planner like us!     

 

My husband is not a Beatles fan and he really enjoyed the show too.  My 22 year old son is a Beatles fan and I hope the show will be still on the Joy in 2024 when we sail her again with our two young adult children and extended family.

[vacation44]

2 hours ago, CDR Benson said:

Many thanks for your debrief and the attachments.  I mentioned in an earlier reply that, for our cruise on Joy in September, we've booked 14778. the starboard-side "mirror image" of your suite.  The location seems to have been as ideal as I anticipated.  (My only item of slight concern is, while your 14178 rests beneath another stateroom, our 14778 lies under one of those blank, unknown-function "crew spaces".  So I'm not sure if any significant noise from above will penetrate.)

 

But what you found is what I felt would be so in my planning:  that the brief time it takes to get to the decks of the Haven proper, makes those two HI suites, with their larger area and balcony size a better deal than staying on the Haven decks.  And less expensive, too.

 

We really appreciate the plans-of-the-day you attached.  On our last cruise, which was our first, we really didn't consult the POD's enough to really take advantage of what the ship had to offer.  Your attachments will help us get an idea of what's on Joy and avoid making that mistake, again.

 

Much obliged.

 

 

You are very welcome.   I am 100% sure that you will love your cabin choice.   We met the woman who had cabin 14778 on our sailing and she said it was perfect--there was not any noise issues.    

 

I agree, these two cabins are certainly the best bang for your buck.  Both the cabin and balcony were huge and then there is the walk in closet.    If we decide to upgrade ourselves again when we sail on the Joy again in 2024, those two cabins would be the only ones we would be interested in.

 

Happy planning and please let me know if you have any questions.

[CDR Benson]

On 2/24/2022 at 7:25 PM, vacation44 said:

Happy planning and please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Many thanks for the knowledgeable information you've provided.  Mr. Tilkin provided a wealth of critical information on staying in the Haven (and has done us Haven-guests-to-be an invaluable service).  But you've afforded me direct knowledge of Norwegian Joy's Haven and what I can expect from the suite we've booked when we cruise on her this September.

 

No matter how much research and investigation undertaken, when you invest so much into a project like this, there's always the nagging fear that you've screwed up somehow and, once on board, the dreamt-of luxury cruise gets fouled.  What you've posted here and on other threads, though, have shown me that, while nothing is guaranteed, at sea or in life, I got it right this time.  Your experiences in the Haven, on Norwegian Joy, in the suite, only "across the hall" from the one we will have, are spot-on with what I had envisioned for us. 

 

The information you've provided about your daily experiences have the Good Mrs. Benson and myself wishing September were next month. We are so looking forward to this cruise.  My grandmother used to say, "Never wish your life away," but I'd be willing to cash in four or five months, right now.