The crew were very friendly and helpful. The behind the scenes tour was worth it. Saw the ECR, laundry, behind the stage, the galley with a talk from chef Anio along with a picture then the bridge. All of the excursions were fun. Really enjoyed the raptor tour. Glacier Bay was phenomenal. The ship turned in place so everyone could see the glacier. I wish we had more time in a few places, like Ketchikan, the eagle we saw flying around was amazing, saw a lot of juvenile eagles there. I could have stayed there for days. The steward we had was very helpful and friendly. Made our room feel special every day. The only drawbacks we had was the American diner was outside, so it was cold eating there and the buffet some of the food under the heat lamps was cold. But the fresh made omelets were delicious, and they had something there for everyone. Fresh fruit, dry cereal, hot cereal and foods from different cultures. But the washy washy hand-washing crew were wonderful. There interaction was fun to watch, singing every day.

We just got back from one of the best cruises I have ever been on. My husband and I (70s) sailed with two friends (60s). We're platinum on NCL, one friend had only cruised with other lines, and one friend had never cruised before. Embarkation in Seattle took longer than I thought it should, but not so long as to be frustrating. So, overal OK. This ship is my favorite NCL ship design. I love the Waterfront deck that goes around outside on Deck 8. With so much outdoor space and nice windows in the indoor spaces (especially the observation lounge), it's easy to spot whales from the ship. We had balcony cabins on Deck 12. The bed was especially comfortable after the steward brought thick mattress toppers. I can't say enough good things about John, our cabin steward. Not only did he bring mattress toppers, he brought extra hangers and dealt with a sewage smell in out bathroom and a toilet that was fussy about flushing. We weren't at all predictable about our schedule and my husband likes to spend a lot of time on the balcony, so it wasn't easy for him to find a good time to clean without interrupting us. He stayed perpetually cheerful, even though I'm sure our schedule was annoying. We've been on a couple of Alaska cruises before and were most interested in seeing whales this time. We went on whale/nature boat rides in Juneau, Sitka and Icy Strait Point. This trip, especially Icy Strait Point, had the best whale watching I've ever seen. I would do another cruise to Icy Strait Point, just to see the whales. That said, our friends stayed on land at Icy Strait Point and said that they weren't interested in going back because there was so little to do in the port (meaning no fabric store for one of my friends). Glacier Day at Hubbard Glacier was good, but we didn't get as close to the glacier as I would have liked. In the future, I'd probably book a cruise with Glacier Bay instead. We've been there before and so far, that's been our best glacier experience. It always surprises me that the food tastes different on each NCL ship, even though they are using the same menu. As usual, the specialty restaurants are great. We went to Q, Cagney's, Le Bistro and Teppanyaki. I especially like having a band at Q, though my companions said that it was too loud, even though it was very good. The main dining rooms were good, but not great (they were great on the Epic). Sometimes the beef was so tough that we couldn't cut it, even though we asked for sharper knives. We had plenty to eat and good company, so it wasn't a problem for us. But it is worth noting. The entertainment was better than we've seen recently on other NCL ships. We saw the Beatles show, The 80s Broadway, the mentalist (good), a comedy act (bad), Bring Back the 90s, and Wild Cards. The musical productions were a nice mixture of singing and dancing with different kinds of music. On some other ships, the shows feel like they are all the same. I especially likes that the performers had actual expressions on their faces instead of what I call "professional dancer face." Overall, service was great. I'm already planning our next NCL cruises.

We had an absolutely awesome 10-night trip sailing in 2-bedroom Haven suite with large balcony. Were there some minor hiccups? Yes, but overall, these were dwarfed by the things that went right. We have sailed NCL three times before and once before in the Haven in a similar cabin on the Escape. This trip on the Joy was by far our favorite. Embarkation: We left from Seattle on June 19th (day of the US-Australia World Cup game taking place only a mile or two away from us!) As a Haven passenger, we were whisked away to the Haven lounge after passing through security and boarded very quickly--around 10:30am. The whole process was seamless. We were led to the Haven complex which was far superior to the NCL Escape due to the Haven Observation Lounge which had snacks and treats available through the day, gorgeous views, and comfortable seats. Our room was ready pretty fast--around 1pm if I remember correctly. Cabin: The room is the exact same layout as the 2-bedroom suite on the Escape except we had a larger balcony this time. The deeper balcony allowed us to request two loungers out there which we made use of and it gave us overall better views. I thought it was going to be a waste of money at first, but it was worth it. In particular was an amazing location with quick access to (like 8 steps to the concierge) and about 12 steps to the pool area and maybe 25 steps to the observation lounge. It was incredible. Highly recommend for families. Our room attendant, Ambari, was excellent, and our butler, Vergil, fulfilled all requests and was generally available and friendly. They were a good team. Dining: This is where NCL falters a bit. Ironically, we had the best service in the main dining room and still really enjoyed our food. The Haven restaurant menu has changed across all the ships, and we found it to be an overall downgrade compared to previously. More noticeably, service was just bad. It seems they take a team approach to service, so the person who takes your order doesn't bring the food, and then some other person asks if you need anything else. It's very disorienting, and you don't know who to ask if there's a problem, and no one seems to remember special requests. (My husband is vegetarian, hardly that unusual.) I loved the Haven restaurant for breakfast but found the service insufferably slow for lunch and dinner (which we had twice each there). The caprese pesto sandwich at lunch was really good. Dinner desserts were terrible--didn't like any of them (and I loved the old ones). We liked the buffet a lot--the Indian food is amazing and the pizza isn't half-bad at all. We just wish it was open a little later as after 9:30pm, your only option is the Local, and we did not like that very much. Specialty dining: Hit and miss. Teppanyaki was great for service, food, and entertainment/experience. Food Republic was REALLY good--fast service and great food. Le Bistro was okay, not awful and not amazing. My French onion soup was good but they served my husband's mushroom soup way too cold. Chicken was bland and the vegetarian entree was a bit blah. Cagney's was bad--probably the worst service I've had on a ship at a meal. We actually complained to the manager/head waiter which is not something I've done over 20 cruises. Entertainment: Loved the 90s show. If you are in your mid-40s, this is for you. My husband and I recognized every song. It was high-energy, and we loved it. The 80s Broadway show was bad--it was just the singers (and it's not their fault, they're good at what they do) on stage with no sets, lightning, costume changes or anything. I almost felt bad for them. The mentalist/magician guy (Greg someone?) was amazing--highly recommended. Too much of NCL entertainment focuses on paid games like Deal or No Deal, but we often went and watched just for the entertainment angle. Ship: The ship was clean and well-maintained. The smoking areas are better isolated from the rest of the ship compared to the Escape despite the open atrium which we appreciated. The overall vibe was pretty chill. Lots of older couples but still plenty of families and children around. A good crowd. Spa: I pre-booked a massage back when they had a Valentine's Day sale. Not something I normally do due to all the bad reviews I read of cruise spas. The massage was excellent, and there was zero upselling at all. Gym: I went four times. Busiest day was that first sea day early in the morning probably when everyone was jet lagged. It's not huge, but there's enough to keep you busy. Children's Programs: My kids made a point of finding friends at Entourage, the teen club, on night one. Then they mostly went around the ship in a well-behaved crowd. I know because we ran into them constantly. My youngest enjoyed Splash Academy, and at the staff all seemed friendly and polite. I wish they didn't have the multiple breaks during the day and were open more while in port, but other than the hours, no complaints. Excursions and ports: We loved all of them. Victoria was a slight letdown after all of the amazing Alaska ports but still very nice. There was only one minor-ish hiccup: Juneau -- did the Guide's Choice Adventure Hike through the ship which is offered by Gastineau Guiding (although you can't book it independently). There were two choices, a milder walk through the woods that didn't have amazing views or a more strenuous in and out with a great view at the end. If you are moderately fit, the more strenuous hike is the better choice for sure. To be clear, my husband and I do not regularly work out but we are active and normal weights. Our youngest child is 8 years old. None of us had a problem with the more strenuous side. Skagway--Did an all day private Emerald Lake Tour with suspension bridge add-on through Beyond Skagway Tours. This was surprisingly my 15 year old's favorite excursion (because it was a lot of driving but it was also a lot of stops). I can't recommend them enough. Our guide lives in Skagway and was able to give very different perspective that many of the guides on other excursions that just spend summer in Alaska. Hubbard Glacier--We paid the rather high cost of taking the Hubbard Glacier Explorer boat to get a closer view of the glacier. We very delayed--well over an hour beyond scheduled time which was frustrating. And the whole trip still ended at the scheduled ending time. We still didn't get THAT close to the glacier in my opinion. My husband thought it was worth it. I enjoyed it overall but wouldn't do it again. Sitka--Perfect for walking and exploring on your own. The shuttle to town was very easy. We stopped at the Sitka Sound Science Center first. We had inadvertently timed it perfectly for a 10am hatchery tour. The tour and admission were $100 for the five of us and well worth it. Despite being a small place, we spent a lot of time there and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves while actually learning a lot! We then walked to the Totem Center/Heritage Park and made a walk through the woods (pleasant but a bit busy) to the Raptor Center. That was a real highlight--a little pricey but worth it. We then walked to town and ate at Campfire Pizza which was AMAZING. They use a real wood-burning oven imported from Italy. If you've seen this type of oven before, you'll recognize it. After that, we focused on the cultural side of things and visiting the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian Bishop's house. Fascinating history that I never knew about. Icy Strait Point--We did a private whale watching tour through Vivid Endeavors. Can't recommend highly enough. Small, comfortable boat that seats up to six. Captain Seth was great. A large boat experience cannot compare, and if you have a large family, it's barely more expensive. Ketchikan--I had heard so many bad things about docking at Ward Cove and shuttling to town that we decided to focus our adventures away from town. We did kayaking through Ketchikan Kayak Company as they picked up right at Ward Cove. We enjoyed it--great guides, and they had a 3-person kayak that they let us use with our 8 year old. Later that day, we did the Lumberjack Show which now has a performance at Ward Cove which is so convenient. Victoria--We did an all-day private tour through Tours by Locals with Michele D. She was lovely, but I'm not sure that it was really worth it in retrospect (unlike the private all day tour starting in Skagway). I'd probably figure out how to get to and from Butchart Gardens on my own as they were incredible. Definitely have lunch at the Gardens. Even the casual restaurant had great food. If you don't want to do the Gardens, there's definitely plenty to see and do right in town without needing a car or transportation (other than from the port to the city center). Disembarkation: We used Port Valet to get our luggage to home which worked exactly as it was supposed to. This allowed us to walk off the ship and explore Pike Place Market and some touristy stuff before our flight. Pier 66 where NCL docks is an amazing location. It was then very easy to grab the light rail at the Symphony station to the airport. All in all, it was a great cruise. The minor issues with dining service could not outweigh the otherwise outstanding experience, and I would recommend this ship/itinerary and Haven in a heartbeat.

Great cruise and excellent time on excursions. This was our first cruise and first time to Alaska and we enjoyed both. The lines to get back on the ship at Victoria, BC, Canada were long, but understandable. Hubby caught a cold and spent a lot of time sleeping in the cabin, so we didn’t get to experience a lot of things on the ship. We didn’t go to the comedy or other shows, and we’re not gamblers, so we didn’t try our luck at the casino. We met some people at the hotel prior to boarding the ship who were nice enough to let us tour their Haven suite and the Haven amenities. Very nice, though we didn’t book a Haven room ourselves. Maybe next time - and if we win the lottery!! Haha We took excursions through Norwegian and through probate companies. Both were excellent and enjoyable - fishing in Ketchikan, a walking tour in Dkagway - all very nice.