Our Alaskan cruise has been our best vacation to date and it’s not all because of the amazing itinerary. Our experience was immensely heightened by the cruise line, ship, and cabin we chose! Norwegian Cruise Line packed a punch with one of their new ships sailing… Norwegian Joy | Alaskan Cruise! Read on for my thoughts, notes, and things to know about this beautiful ship.
Ship Shape | This is a very large ship! It takes a day or two to get used to where things are and get a jest of the lay of the “land.” However, with it being so large, I felt like this helped alleviate crowds during busy times as the ship boasts a spread-out deck plan. That being said, be prepared for walking, but know the ship is fully accessible. With our stroller, we never had any issues getting around. With elevators at every turn, wide doors, and minimal “step ups,” ease was added to our vacation. If you need accessibility, this ship is a wonderful option!
Waterslide + Pools | Yes, you can utilize the waterslides and pools on an Alaskan cruise itinerary! These babies are heated! There’s even a small water park for the little ones. Just be prepared for when you exit the water—a plush, long robe would come in handy. Note about the epic waterslide that juts out over the ocean: it is not as easy to slide down as it looks. It was common for attempters to get stuck midways, left waiting in the tube with the ocean below them, if they didn’t gain enough momentum. A trap door awaits to “rescue” you, but just admire the bravery of others if you are afraid of heights.
Shows & Entertainment | The ship has some great entertainment, including two complimentary show, for guests to enjoy. Experience a comedy club, video arcade, casino, and much more! We also took advantage of the kids’ club (drop off available for 3 and up) for free play with toys for our little ones. This was a great way to allow them to run off energy, especially since they couldn’t use the pools/waterpark as they are still in diapers.
Deck Notes | Deck 8 happened to be our favorite, as you could walk nearly the entire perimeter of the ship, excluding the immediate forward section. We spent many hours just hanging out outside on the couches of deck 8 and were even given blankets for keeping warm on chilly days/nights. However, it would have been nice to have blankets (though our cabin steward would have provided us with a few) handy while on our own balcony. Keep that in mind when packing—throw in a plush robe or a warm blanket. Let it double as help keeping you comfy on your flight.
Fish Carpet | Notice my photograph of the carpet below—there are schools of fish swimming in one direction. These little fishies are swimming towards the front of the ship. This way, you know which direction you are walking—brilliant!
Laundry | Yes, laundry! Towards the end of our 7 day sailing, we were offered a full bag of laundry service for only $19.95. Let me tell you—best 20 bucks I’ve ever spent! Every piece of our clothing, including socks, came back perfectly laundered and folded. It was great to head home without so much laundry waiting for me at home.
Dining | The restaurants aboard Norwegian Joy afforded us some of the best dining we’ve had on any vacation, ever! We were absolutely blown away with our meals, all of them, and are still raving about the food even 6 months later! Our favorites were the Garden Café (buffet), Teppanyaki, and Cagney’s Steakhouse. We frequented these 3 many times during our cruise.
Ready to book your Alaskan, or even Caribbean, cruise aboard Norwegian Joy? Contact me to plan your vacation on this beautiful ship!
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