NEWBIE to NCL - Cruising on Joy (2025)

[Mrs. Peppercorn]

I am not new to cruising, but will be new to NCL. I just booked a cruise on JOY for November 2025. I've got a few cruise to complete before this one. What can you share about NCL and JOY? For reference I have sailed RCL and Celebrity only. 

Thanks.

Mrs. Peppercorn

 

[Mrs. Peppercorn]

On 8/28/2023 at 10:00 AM, cruise wizard said:

 

Maybe we will see you - we booked the 1/4 & 1/11 cruises.

 

[Mrs. Peppercorn]

Not unless you are on JOY cruising NOV 2025. 🙂

[schmoopie17]

Welcome to CC.

 

You're asking some very non-specific questions...both of which could have 1000s of answers (most of which have been discussed ad nauseum on CC in the past). Merely scrolling through the NCL page could provide more answers than you might receive here.

 

Maybe if you were more specific, you might find more people jumping in to offer answers.

 

Just a suggestion to a newbie...but good luck.

 

 

Edited January 23 by schmoopie17

[Mrs. Peppercorn]

thanks for the extremely warm welcome----NOT new to CC. 

[The Traveling Man]

22 hours ago, Mrs. Peppercorn said:

thanks for the extremely warm welcome----NOT new to CC. 

I'm confused.  Your CC ID lists you as having made only four posts, all of which are on this thread.  It certainly appears that you ARE new to CC.  Anyway, welcome to CC.  Could you tell us a bit more about what information about NCL or the Joy would be helpful to you?  Your original post is quite broad and not very specific.  As @schmoopie17 has suggested, browsing the CC forum for NCL might lead you to a number of previous threads on the Joy.

[BirdTravels]

On 1/23/2024 at 4:06 PM, Mrs. Peppercorn said:

I am not new to cruising, but will be new to NCL. I just booked a cruise on JOY for November 2025. I've got a few cruise to complete before this one. What can you share about NCL and JOY? For reference I have sailed RCL and Celebrity only. 

Thanks.

Mrs. Peppercorn

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and Welcome to NCL. 

 

The following link is one of my recent Live Posts from the Joy. The intent of sharing this link is to allow you see a little bit about the ship, the daily programs (the type of activities offered on the Joy), example menus (they will have evolved by next year... just a little). 

 

 

Edited January 24 by BirdTravels

[Russiamomm]

Agreed.  A few more details on your questions would help.  I can say that the Joy is my favorite ship in the NCL fleet that I’ve been on so far.  I may be biased, though, since both times were in the Haven.  I’ve been on many NCL ships, but the Joy holds a special place in my heart because it was the first time we were privileged to be in the Haven.  Scheduled again in April to Bermuda, and again in the Haven,  I just like the ship.  It’s big, but doesn’t feel huge.   It’s beautiful.  Has everything you could want, except a thermal suite. But that will be resolved when it gets out of dry dock next month.  The Observation Lounge is wonderful.  
 

Do you have specific questions?

[KeithJenner]

6 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

I'm confused.  Your CC ID lists you as having made only four posts, all of which are on this thread.  

Joined Tuesday 9.01am apparently.

[zqvol]

9 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Joined Tuesday 9.01am apparently.

Why does it matter

[KeithJenner]

4 hours ago, zqvol said:

Why does it matter

Doesn't to me. The poster who I quoted was saying that they seemed to be new here, and I was just clarifying, so perhaps you should ask them.

 

Looking at the post that The Travelling Man was responded to, it looks like they misread it, as say in that the OP was "not new to CC" whereas I think that the "not" was actually the end of the previous statement. I suspect that caused some confusion.

[Big Red 85]

We are booked on the Nov 29, 2025 cruise on the Joy ourselves.  Our first NCL cruise as well.  We have found two resources to glean good information.  The first is here, on this board, using the search feature for certain topics as well as asking my own questions.  The second is YouTube videos.  Lots of reviews and tours to watch with first hand comments.

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Doesn't to me. The poster who I quoted was saying that they seemed to be new here, and I was just clarifying, so perhaps you should ask them.

 

Looking at the post that The Travelling Man was responded to, it looks like they misread it, as say in that the OP was "not new to CC" whereas I think that the "not" was actually the end of the previous statement. I suspect that caused some confusion.

Thank you for your insight on this issue.  Like many who post on CC, I'm of a generation whose vocabulary of slang expressions predates the frequent use of the word "not" at the end of a sentence to negate the meaning of the words which precede it.  That old fogeyism on my part, together with the absence of punctuation by the OP to separate the "not" from the "new to CC" led me to think that the intent was that the OP was not new to CC.  Sorry for the misunderstanding.  One of these days, I suppose, my lexicon will need to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century.  No that wasn't a typo, but rather an attempt at self effacing humor.

[cruiseny4life]

7 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

Thank you for your insight on this issue.  Like many who post on CC, I'm of a generation whose vocabulary of slang expressions predates the frequent use of the word "not" at the end of a sentence to negate the meaning of the words which precede it.  That old fogeyism on my part, together with the absence of punctuation by the OP to separate the "not" from the "new to CC" led me to think that the intent was that the OP was not new to CC.  Sorry for the misunderstanding.  One of these days, I suppose, my lexicon will need to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 20th century.  No that wasn't a typo, but rather an attempt at self effacing humor.

It's ok - it confused me too. Not an old fogey yet haha...but I hope to become one! Re-reading, I do believe @KeithJenner is spot on with the intent of the original message.

[JGmf]

Welcome to CC.

 

November 2025?  Well, that's an eternity from now, so you have 21 months of fun to read these boards and become a walk-on expert to NCL. 

 

I've sailed on the Joy a bunch of times.  I really love the ship, especially "The Waterfront" (an outside, open air deck that flanks either side of the ship with seating and bars and restaurants) and the "Observation Lounge" (upper deck, forward section of the ship, with seating, a bar, and snacks at various times of the day). 

 

The food is good, not great, but all food opinions are subjective.  Given your screen name, note that the food is bland in a non-spicy way....so just be aware that it's sometimes difficult to get pepper or hot sauce in many places (with the exception of horrible Tabasco).  At the buffet they have such things towards the Asian food station. 

 

Also, try Food Republic, which I think is the best specialty dining on the ship.

 

Enjoy your cruise and hope to see you posting on these boards.

[CAcruzfunatic]

Welcome to the Boards!

 

We are newer to NCL but really have really enjoyed our NCL Cruises.   We have sailed on the Bliss and Joy and have upcoming trips this year on the Joy in March and then the Viva in September.

 

We are returning to the Joy primarily to due to the staff and also the addition of the thermal suite being currently added in the Rotterdam dry dock.  The Bliss, which is a very similar ship, has an amazing thermal suite and on our Bliss Panama Canal sailing we had a spa stateroom and used the facilities every day.   We're looking forward to seeing what this new space on the Joy is like.   You can no longer get a spa stateroom with access included but we're planning to purchase the duration of the cruise pass.   I mentioned the staff,  our first sailing on the Joy was a back to back Canada New England and then Bermuda out of New York for 14 days total.   Our experience with the staff on that sailing was fantastic!   That experience ranged from the bar staff in several bars, the bar management staff, the hotel manager and his staff, the ships wine educator, and a couple of exception dinning staff.   Several of those folks we have continued to stay in touch with and are returning because of them and looking forward to seeing them again.

 

We enjoyed the various alternative dining venues and tried them all.  Our favorites were Le Bistro, Cagneys and La Cucina.

 

The broadway style production shows on NCL are exceptional and some of the best shows we have experienced at sea. 

 

Hope you get lots of good information here and hear about many folks experiences.   Planning and dreaming is an awesome part of the journey!   Happy travels!

 

 

[CAcruzfunatic]

On 1/24/2024 at 3:12 PM, BirdTravels said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic and Welcome to NCL. 

 

The following link is one of my recent Live Posts from the Joy. The intent of sharing this link is to allow you see a little bit about the ship, the daily programs (the type of activities offered on the Joy), example menus (they will have evolved by next year... just a little). 

 

 

What a fantastic over of your trip and the Joy!  You covered it all!   Thank you!