This Thanksgiving, we did something I usually tell clients not to do… we booked a last-minute cruise.

But Norwegian had wide open availability, a great offer, and the timing lined up. So we went for it. It ended up being just the three of us on board: my husband Dean, our daughter June, and me. We boarded the Norwegian Joy not really knowing what to expect. We sail Royal Caribbean often, so naturally we assumed the experience would be similar… and in some ways it was. In others, Royal still comes out ahead.

The Joy herself is one of Norwegian’s larger ships, recently refurbished in 2024, with capacity for 3,776 guests. She’s big, lively, and full of options, which gave us plenty of time to see what she got right and where there’s room to grow.

What We Liked

The Shows

The shows were FANTASTIC. While Norwegian doesn’t have the massive water productions you see on Royal, their stage shows were hard to beat. The entertainment cast was genuinely impressive. We went to the Wild Cards Club, which pulled us straight into a 1920s vibe with fun modern twists. Then we saw Bring Back the 90’s, and as someone who lived through the actual 90’s, the singers and dancers took me right back to high school.

Our favorite, hands down, was The Beatles cover band. Not only did they sound just like them, they played the part completely. The accents, the humor between songs, the whole thing. I teared up more than once hearing a few of my dad’s favorites. We loved them so much we saw them twice. Once in the main theater and once in the Cavern Club, which is designed to look like the Liverpool venue the real Beatles started in.

I will say the smaller bands playing in the open areas around the ship didn’t hit the mark. The main productions were excellent, but the casual live music could use some improvement.

The Haven

This is Norwegian’s private, suite-only area, and it really is its own world. The Haven comes with exclusive spaces, upgraded amenities, and a quieter, more elevated experience. We bid on a room and found out we won it right before we left home. Thank goodness we did. I’m not sure I’d sail Norwegian again without being in a Haven suite.

Here’s what stood out for us:

The Haven restaurant and bar
We ended up eating here about 70 percent of the cruise. The food and service were excellent, and the space felt calm compared to the main dining areas. The hostess learned our names on day one and was genuinely kind every time we walked in. The bar also became a favorite because it was the only place on the ship making smoked old fashioned, which Dean loved.

The private outdoor deck
This space feels like a retreat. It has loungers, shade, hot tubs, and a 16+ designation. It was peaceful, relaxed, and a huge contrast to the very crowded main pool deck.

Priority embarkment and disembarkment
Haven guests skip the long lines during embarkation and when leaving the ship at ports. Getting on was smooth and fast, and any time we needed to step off the ship, we bypassed the crowds completely. The main check-in line was incredibly long, and being able to skip that alone felt worth the upgrade.

Reserved seating for shows
No rushing to line up early or worrying about finding good seats. Haven guests get their own reserved section in the theater, so we could stroll in without stress and still sit together with a great view.

A spacious room
Our suite had two TVs, plenty of storage, and space to move around. It felt like a real retreat, not just a place to sleep.

There are a few other Haven perks, like the 24-hour butler service and a captain’s reception, but our experience with those wasn’t ideal. I’ll explain more in the “what could be improved” section.

Ports of Call

We visited three solid Caribbean ports on this itinerary: Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and Tortola.

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
We stayed right in port at Taino Bay, which has shops, restaurants, multiple pools, and even a lazy river. The only downside is that by the time we got off the ship, it was packed. If you come here, go early. I wish we had explored downtown Puerto Plata afterward because the port area alone didn’t hold our attention for long. It’s a solid port, and next time we’ll plan an excursion so we can explore more of the area beyond the gates.

St. Thomas
We had already been to Magen’s Bay on a previous cruise, so we wanted to try something new. We found an incredible driver Angel who brought us to Sapphire Beach. It was busy because five ships were in port, but we still found a quiet spot and enjoyed the day. There were a few “pirates” roaming the beach, including Jack Sparrow, offering treasure hunt excursions. We watched wind surfers, ate surprisingly good pizza by the water, and stopped at a scenic overlook for photos. St. Thomas never disappoints and I’d go back again in a heartbeat.

Tortola
Tortola might be my new favorite island. The only downside was the short port time of 6:45 am to 2 pm, so we had to move quickly. We headed straight to Cane Garden Bay and it was stunning. Crystal clear water, soft sand, and the kind of view you think about when you picture the Caribbean. We spent hours swimming and soaking it all in. I already know I need a longer return trip here.

We didn’t make it to Norwegian’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, due to wind. The good news is that they’re building a pier, which should make docking much more reliable in the future.

What could be improved

Reduce the extra charges

Let’s talk about the add-ons because this is where Norwegian really lost me. The “Free at Sea” package sounds generous, and parts of it are great. You get unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, 150 minutes of Wi-Fi per person, and a few specialty dining credits for a great price!

But here’s the catch:
• 150 minutes of WiFi doesn’t go far at all. If you need to stay connected, plan to pay more.
• Only guests 1 and 2 receive the specialty dining credits. While this is normal across most cruise lines, the set fee for guest 3 and beyond is noticeably high, and they add an automatic 20 percent service charge on top of it. June’s Hibachi dinner ended up costing us $72.
• Several onboard activities come with buy-ins. Games like Deal or No Deal and Wheel of Fortune require paid entry, similar to Bingo.
• Gambling comes with a surcharge every time you add money. $1.80 here, $2.60 there, and it adds up fast. If you enjoy gambling, put the full amount you want to play with on your account upfront so you can avoid repeated fees.
• Even the Go-Karts were an extra $15 per person. No mention of this anywhere before sailing.

Most cruise lines have upcharges here and there, but Norwegian’s felt excessive. By the end of the week, the nickel and diming became noticeable.

Ship Amenities and Overall Experience

This is where the Joy fell short for us. Some of these things may be specific to this ship, but they made the experience feel limited compared to what we’ve had on other lines.

A very small pool area
The main pool deck was extremely crowded. Yes, we sailed during a holiday week, but even on busy sailings I’ve been on larger ships that didn’t feel this packed. The Joy has only one main pool area, so everything funnels into the same space. Multiple hot tubs and additional pools on other ships naturally spread people out. Here, it all sits in one cluster, which made it feel chaotic. Thank goodness for the Haven, where we had a quiet retreat.

Disappointing pool slides
There were two slides and both were a letdown. They were run poorly by staff, the floats were unorganized, and the operating hours were strange. It felt like something that should have been a highlight but just… wasn’t.

Late-night food options were almost nonexistent
Nearly everything shuts down by 9:30 pm. The one venue that stays open doesn’t allow to-go orders, which isn’t ideal if you want to grab something and head back to your room. That leaves room service, and the one night we ordered a slice of cake, it took 45 minutes. And that was considered fast because we were in the Haven. Not in Haven? Expect a surcharge.

Slow elevators
Each elevator bank has eight elevators, but it often felt like only two or three were in service at any given time. They were slow, crowded, and sometimes skipped floors entirely.

Repetitive menus across specialty restaurants
While most of the food at the specialty restaurants tasted good, the variety wasn’t great. We found several of the same dishes repeated between the steakhouse, the seafood restaurant, and the Italian venue. Since we had three specialty dining meals included, we ended up choosing the French restaurant twice because the filet was included there but would have been an extra charge at the others.

Limited access to towels when leaving the ship

When we exited the ship in port, no one was handing out pool towels. There’s only one location on the entire ship to get them, and it’s on the pool deck. We completely forgot to grab them before disembarking in the Dominican Republic, and by the time we reached the pool area in port, we realized we had nothing with us. Having a towel station at the gangway should be standard. It would save guests a lot of hassle.

Sea day activities fell flat
Trivia and similar activities weren’t very engaging, and we found ourselves a little bored on sea days. Norwegian might shine on other ships, but on the Joy, the programming felt limited.

Overall, other ships in Norwegian’s fleet may offer more, but in our experience, Royal Caribbean is stronger in this particular category.

The Haven Butler and Captain’s Reception

This one is subjective because it depends entirely on who is assigned to your stateroom. Unfortunately, the perk of having a butler didn’t add much to our experience.

We barely saw ours, and when we did, he didn’t even recognize us. He mentioned he would bring afternoon sandwiches daily, which we assumed meant sometime around lunch. Instead, they showed up at 3 pm, and it was only enough for one of the three of us. To make it worse, they were warm. No one wants warm egg salad.

Other Haven guests told us their butlers were fantastic, so we clearly just drew the short straw. But if you’re offering a premium service, consistency matters. Every butler should be held to the same standard.

The captain’s reception was another miss. We expected a warm welcome event with plenty of appetizers. It was lovely to meet the captain and crew, but the food offerings were sparse. One person floated through with a tray of small spoonfuls of bites. If you go, eat beforehand.

Still, even with these hiccups, the Haven was absolutely worth the cost. The exclusive restaurant, quiet pool deck, and most of the staff we interacted with truly made the experience special. We enjoyed those parts enough that we’d happily book the Haven again.

Final thoughts

In the end, Norwegian Joy gave us a fun Thanksgiving week with great shows, beautiful ports, and a Haven experience that made all the difference. There were a few misses, but nothing major enough to keep us from considering Norwegian again. If you book this ship, the Haven is where the value truly shines.

Curious if a Norwegian cruise is right for you? Let’s talk. Book a vacation planning session and I’ll walk you through what to expect, what’s worth it, and how to get the best value. You focus on the fun, I’ll handle the planning.

Meagan’s passion for travel is deeply rooted in her personal story. Having experienced the loss of her mother at age 8, family time has always been her highest priority. In 2022, six months after an unforgettable family vacation, her father passed away unexpectedly. This profound loss propelled Meagan to pursue a career as a travel advisor, knowing how important it is to create lasting memories with loved ones. With over 20 years in corporate supply chain management and client services, Meagan’s sharp attention to detail drives her success in delivering flawless, stress-free travel experiences. In addition to running her travel business, Meagan is a substitute teacher and heavily involved in her daughter’s Girl Scout troop. Jersey girl turned Georgia peach, her interests include traveling (obv), reading, watching movies with her fam, & cuddling with her fur baby.