Just off the Joy, 6/4 to 6/11...some thoughts

[ChiefMateJRK]

42 minutes ago, dcipjr said:

The loungers up front were frequently filled, but seating was usually available close to the buffet area.

Thanks.  I'm curious because of the yet-unconfirmed reports that NCL may be shrinking the Joy OL.

[sportscruiser]

Is the breakfast in American Diner continental only or is there basic hot food too, like eggs, bacon, etc.? Thanks for the review, hoping it still won't be crowded at AD on port days!

[psuboater]

On 6/11/2023 at 12:38 PM, BoundForSea said:

Great review. Thorough and to the point. Sailing July so thank you was concerned about the feeling of it at capacity. Care to share any “tips” on maneuvering to help it feel less crowded? Love to hear them!

Just got off the Joy on Sunday- some tips:

 

1) Plan on rooms not being ready until 3-3:30pm- they start with Deck 15 rooms first and then make their way down, so just plan accordingly. We hung out on the ocean front on Deck 8. In fact, we never saw Deck 8 get crowded at all - all week. Most people don't find it. 

2) Reserving a speciality dining time for the first night was a huge win for us- as everyone is crushing the main dining rooms and still figuring out where to go. Having a reservation made night one way less stressful. 
3) If it fits in your budget- Vibe is well worth the cost. If it's sold out or not in your budget- there are loungers right outside vibe on Deck 19 that provide quiet. That space didn't get crowded until the last day when people discovered it- a lot of chairs are behind the laser tag sign. 
4) Gym- don't bother to go on the first day at sea. Everyone and their mother who has never worked out a day in their life will be there. I worked on on port days and then the last day after 3pm- gym was practically my own. 

[psuboater]

9 hours ago, sportscruiser said:

Is the breakfast in American Diner continental only or is there basic hot food too, like eggs, bacon, etc.? Thanks for the review, hoping it still won't be crowded at AD on port days!

There was hot food there and maybe 3-4 people when we went up there on the last port day 🙂 

[sportscruiser]

Thanks @psuboater! That sounds like the perfect place to go when I'm in a hurry on the port days in Bermuda!!

[Smitheroo]

I was on the Joy this past February to Mexico and my experience was similar to yours (without the 5 yr old so have no experience with childrens activities)  We were never able to find the Miniature golf course lol. We could have asked but never did. There was plenty to do. Too cold to do water activities.  One disappointment was that FootLoose got cancelled halfway through the cruise due to one of the cast having an injury.  We were only two in the cabin so didnt really care when the room got straightened. In fact a couple of days we asked her not to bother, just empty the trash and supply clean towels.  I thought the food was great. We ate mostly in Taste and Savor.  Somes the buffet for breakfast but it got very crowded depending on the time. We also found they served a small breakfast up on the Observation Deck.  I'm trying to plan another one on the Joy but the planning is exhausting.  In February my son in law did all the planning and asked me to join him as his wife refused due to Covid.  I thought it was going to feel really ackward sharing a cabin with my (young) son in law but it wasnt at all. 

[Jasonmom]

Did you take the cruise sponsored tour of the caves or did you go on your own? If you went on your own how did you do it?

[dcipjr]

14 minutes ago, Jasonmom said:

Did you take the cruise sponsored tour of the caves or did you go on your own? If you went on your own how did you do it?

 

We never do ship-sponsored excursions in Bermuda, with the exception of the Horseshoe Bay Transfer on the final day in port (Friday), since you're guaranteed back to the ship on-time, and we can use the $50 excursion credit. With the transportation options plentiful, we almost always just do things on our own.

 

For the caves, we first took the 9 AM ferry to St. George. Once we arrived in St. George, we walked up to the bus station, and caught the bus. I believe the #1, #3, #10, and #11 buses all go past the Caves, so there's a plethora of options. All go to Hamilton, and are spaced approximately 15 minutes apart.

 

We caught the first bus that came (I think it was #11). Once it passes the airport, it goes over the Causeway, and the second stop after it passes the Causeway is for the caves. It's immediately across the street from the Swizzle Inn, and there's a pedestrian path right from the bus stop to the cave ticket office. We bought tickets for the first available tour, which was 10 minutes after we arrived. 

 

Afterwards, we went back to the bus stop, caught the next bus to Hamilton, did some souvenir shopping, and then caught the ferry back to the Dockyard.

 

Note that if we hadn't wanted to go shopping in Hamilton, we could have asked the bus driver for a free transfer upon arrival into Hamilton, and used the transfer to board a #7 or #8 bus. 

 

[shaunmn]

Thanks for sharing all the great information, everyone! A friend and I are planning a cruise on the Joy for June 2024. 

[umpisoccer]

Does anyone who sailed in May or June on the Joy have the daily schedules you can post.  We are trying to book dining and wanted to see the activities each day to help with scheduling.  Thank you.