Norwegian Joy Review
Very Enjoyable Cruise But Could Have Been Better
Rating by category
Additional details
We chose this cruise because of (1) partial Panama transit (2) interesting ports of call (3) relatively new ship. My husband and I had a very enjoyable time but compared to other cruises we've taken (11 to date), this one ranks about about a 3.7 on a scale of 5.
Highlights:
- Embarkation took about 1 hour, not great but much better than a previous NCL cruise that took more 2 hours. We were able to access our cabin as soon as we got on board.
Cabin Review
Mid-ship Balcony Stateroom
Awful cabin location (see review above). Directly over ship's theater and near a lounge. Very compact cabin. Storage was a challenge, no drawers only shelves. Bathroom was surprisingly roomy and well lit with lots of shelves for toiletries. Shower was good size and water pressure excellent. Outlet for shaver was awkwardly positioned, high in a corner away from the sink and was difficult to reach even for my 6' husband.
Port Reviews
Great Stirrup Cay
Pretty beach with lots of lounge chairs to enjoy the day. Nice lunch provided consisting of BBQ ribs, jerk chicken, hamburgers & dogs and sides was provided along with drinks. A great way to start cruise. Only complaint was that there wasn't enough umbrellas so finding a shady spot was a challenge.
Colon (Cristobal)
Ship sent through 3 locks to Gatun Lake, turned around and went through the locks in the opposite direction to the Atlantic. Was an amazing experience. NCL provided an expert on board to provide history and explanations as we went through the locks. He was very knowledgeable and made the experience that much more meaningful.
Harvest Caye
Went on the Monkey River Eco Tour. Highly recommend this excursion. Saw lots of howler monkeys, birds, iguanas and turtles while on boat. Tour included a brief hike through the rain forest where we saw lots of monkeys and tour guides explained the various plants and medicinal uses. Lots of mosquitoes. Got bitten even though I was covered with insect repellent and wore long pants and long sleeve shirt. Had a brief stop where we were able to purchase a local beer while we waited for the boat to refuel. Excellent tour guides.
Costa Maya
Lots of good and interesting shopping opportunities. But was too crowded because another cruise ship was also docked.