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Explorer of the Seas vs Joy
The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas was built in 2000. It was renovated in 2023. Explorer of the Seas was Amplified in 2023 which added many new features, restaurants, and attractions to this ship. It's 17 years older than the Joy, which was built in 2017 and renovated in 2024. The Joy will undergo some renovations in Jan 2024. They'll remove the Galaxy Pavilion virtual reality arcade and Laser Tag and add a Thermal Suite and expanded Vibe Beach Club.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Explorer of the Seas is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,020 feet long and 157 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.8 football fields, as wide as 3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Norwegian Joy, the Explorer of the Seas is 18% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas holds 14% fewer passengers than the Joy based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Explorer of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Joy.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Norwegian Joy | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Voyager | Breakaway Plus |
| Gross Tonnage | 137,308 | 167,725 |
| Length | 1,020 | 1,094 |
| Beam/Width | 157 | 136 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,286 | 3,802 |
| Crew | 1,185 | 1,821 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 2.1 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 44 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Explorer of the Seas has nine different dining options like Chef's Table, Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks, and Windjammer. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Joy has four more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are American Diner, La Cucina Italian, and The Local. ten of these restaurants are complementary and the other eleven have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Joy might be a better choice. It has 44% more dining options than the Explorer of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Explorer of the Seas might be a better choice then the Joy. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Norwegian Joy | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 9 | 13 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 10 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 11 |
| % of Included Options | 33% | 15% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas has 6 fewer bars than the Norwegian Joy. The Explorer of the Seas has 10 bars like Casino bar, R Bar and Schooner Bar. On Explorer of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 16 different bars such as Starbucks, Sugarcane Mojito Bar and Vibe Beach Club Bar.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Norwegian Joy |
|---|---|
| •Casino bar • Dizzy's • English Pub • Pool bar • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • Solarium Bar • Star Lounge • The Tavern | •A-List Bar • Cellars Wine Bar • District Brew House • Maltings Beer & Whiskey Bar • Mixx Bar • Observation Lounge Bar • Skyline Bar • Social Comedy & Night Club • Spice H2O • Starbucks • Sugarcane Mojito Bar • The Cavern Club • The Haven Bar • The Local Bar • Vibe Beach Club Bar • Waves Pool Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Explorer of the Seas and the Joy below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs.
The Norwegian Joy has the same number of pools as the Explorer of the Seas and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Joy. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Explorer of the Seas.| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Norwegian Joy | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 0 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 9 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 4 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Explorer of the Seas, 71% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Joy, only 60% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Norwegian Joy | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (free) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✗ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Observation Lounge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Race Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas will likely be cheaper than on Norwegian Joy.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Norwegian Joy | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $7.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | 106 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
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