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All about the Norwegian Joy
The Norwegian Joy was built in 2017. It was renovated in 2019. It's considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,094 ft long and 136 ft wide, it's roughly the length of 3 football fields, as wide as 2.6 tractor trailers, and the same height as a 15-story building. 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.
Norwegian Joy Overview
- Ship and Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Norwegian Joy Size and Passengers
The Joy can hold 3,802 based on double occupancy (two people per room) and more when you take into account 3rd and 4th passengers. When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, the Joy has a space ratio of 44. Depending on the ship, this number can range from 30 to 52 (with a bigger number meaning more space per person) so this ship's space-to-person ratio is about average.
| Norwegian Joy | |
|---|---|
| Class | Breakaway Plus |
| Gross Tonnage | 167,725 |
| Length | 1,094 |
| Beam/Width | 136 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,802 |
| Crew | 1,821 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.1 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 44 |
Norwegian Joy Space Ratio
30
44
52
The Joy is one of four Breakaway Plus-class ships currently sailing with Norwegian. The Joy is very similar to its sister-ships; Escape, Bliss and Encore, although each ship may have some differences.
Norwegian Joy Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and there will plenty on the Norwegian Joy. You have 13 different dining options to choose from. Of those options, 4 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 9 options have an additional fee. Some of those options are a set price and some have a la cart menu pricing. Only 31% of the dining options are included meaning you might spend more while on the ship due to the additional fees.
| Restaurant | Restaurant Type | Cost | Type of Food |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Diner | Sit down | Included | American |
| Cagney's Steakhouse | Sit down | A la cart | Steakhouse |
| Food Republic | Sit down | A la cart | Foodie |
| Garden Cafe | Quick serve | Included | Buffet |
| La Cucina Italian | Sit down | A la cart | Italian |
| Le Bistro French | Sit down | A la cart | French |
| Main Dining Room | Sit down | Included | Dinner |
| Ocean Blue | Sit down | A la cart | Seafood |
| Q Texas Smokehouse | Sit down | A la cart | BBQ |
| Starbucks | Quick serve | A la cart | Coffee |
| Teppanyaki | Sit down | Flat fee | Asian |
| The Haven | Sit down | Exclusive | American |
| The Local | Sit down | Included | American |
Norwegian Joy Bars and Drinks
Norwegian Joy has 14 different bars and lounges where you can enjoy a beer or cocktail. It also has 2 other bars that are available for select guests.
| Bar | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| A-List Bar | Deck 8 | See Menu |
| Cellars Wine Bar | Deck 8 | See Menu |
| District Brew House | Deck 8 | See Menu |
| Maltings Beer & Whiskey Bar | Deck 6 | |
| Mixx Bar | Deck 6 | See Menu |
| Observation Lounge Bar | Deck 15 | |
| Skyline Bar | Deck 7 | See Menu |
| Social Comedy & Night Club | Deck 6 | |
| Spice H2O | Deck 17 | |
| Starbucks | Deck 6 and 15 | See Menu |
| Sugarcane Mojito Bar | Deck 8 | See Menu |
| The Cavern Club | Deck 8 | |
| The Haven Bar* | Deck 17 | See Menu |
| The Local Bar | Deck 7 | See Menu |
| Vibe Beach Club Bar* | Deck 20 | See Menu |
| Waves Pool Bar | Deck 16 |
Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.
Norwegian also serves the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
Pools and Hot Tubs on Norwegian Joy
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day in a pool, a cruise might not be the right choice. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Norwegian Joy has a total of 3 pools and 9 hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? 2 of the hot tubs are adults only. 1 of the pools and 4 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
| Norwegian Joy | |
|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 |
| - Pools - General Access | 2 |
| - Pools - Adults Only | 0 |
| - Pools - Exclusive | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 9 |
| - Hot Tubs - General Access | 3 |
| - Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 |
| - Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 4 |
Norwegian Joy Features and Activities
There are quite a few things to do on the Joy. These are the main amenities that are available. Some are included in the cost of the cruise, while others have an additional charge.
| Norwegian Joy | |
|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | Flat fee |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (free) | Included |
| Arcade | A la cart |
| Casino | A la cart |
| Cigar Lounge | Included |
| Comedy Club | Included |
| Fitness Center | Included |
| Mini golf | Included |
| Observation Lounge | Included |
| Race Track | A la cart |
| Shows - musical review | Included |
| Spa | A la cart |
| Splash park | Included |
| Thermal Suites | Flat fee |
| Water slides | Included |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian is a mainstream cruise line. 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.
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 understand what you might spend onboard a Norwegian ship.
| Norwegian | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $109 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $12.50 to $25 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a Free at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive free open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at their 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 Free 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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