Norwegian Joy - Panama Canal & Central America
Experience one of the world's greatest engineering marvels as you transit the Panama Canal, with stops in the vibrant colonial city of Cartagena and the lush rainforests of Costa Rica.
Price Range
$
Budget
*Prices vary by cabin type, sailing date, and availability. Confirm rates with Norwegian Cruise Line before booking.
Ship Details — Norwegian Joy
View full Norwegian Joy details
Year Built
2017
Tonnage
167,725 GT
Passengers
3,804
Crew
1,821
Decks
20
Class
Breakaway Plus
Itinerary & Route Map
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Where this cruise calls, day by day
8 ports and 8 sea days over 15 Nights.
- Day 1Miami, FL port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Miami, FL
United StatesDepart Day 2 · At sea
Day 3 · At sea
- Day 4Cartagena port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Cartagena
ColombiaPort - Day 5Panama Canal (Transit) port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Panama Canal (Transit)
PanamaPort Day 6 · At sea
- Day 7
Puerto Caldera
Costa RicaPortCaldera is the cargo alternative to Puntarenas, ten miles down the coast - a container and bulk terminal with no town, no beach and nothing at the gate but a line of waiting coaches. The excursion menu is the standard Pacific-slope set: crocodiles on the Tárcoles, monkeys at Manuel Antonio, coffee, and the cloud forest. Judge the day by the tour you booked, not by the port.
- Tárcoles River crocodile boats and Carara National Park
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- A central valley coffee plantation tour
- Jacó beach and the surf coast
- Getting ashore
- Ships dock at the commercial port; Puntarenas is about 20 minutes by road and nothing is within walking distance.
- Best months
- Dec-Apr is the Pacific dry season; Sep-Oct is the wettest stretch
Day 8 · At sea
- Day 9Puerto Quetzal port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Puerto Quetzal
GuatemalaPort Day 10 · At sea
- Day 11Puerto Vallarta port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Puerto Vallarta
MexicoPort - Day 12Cabo San Lucas port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Cabo San Lucas
MexicoPort Day 13 · At sea
Day 14 · At sea
Day 15 · At sea
- Day 16Seattle, WA port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Seattle, WA
United StatesArrive
Onboard Amenities
Cruise Highlights
About the Ship
What Travelers Say About Norwegian Joy
Reviews of the ship itself — the same for every Norwegian Joy sailing. Distilled from 333 traveler threads, passenger reviews and travel blogs.
Norwegian Joy is a 2017 Breakaway-Plus mega-ship with an unusual backstory: it was originally built and outfitted for the Chinese cruise market, then pulled to North America in 2018 and refurbished to mirror its sister ship, Norwegian Bliss. A second major refurbishment in early 2024 modernized it further, adding cabins, expanding the Vibe Beach Club to two levels and installing what reviewers call the best Thermal Suite at sea. The result is a ship that looks nearly new and carries the familiar Breakaway-Plus thrills, but with a slightly quirky heritage layout.
What People Love
- The 2024 refurbishment left the ship looking nearly new, with fresh furnishings and a generally well-maintained feel for a 2017-built vessel
- The new Thermal Suite added in 2024 is widely called the best at sea, surpassing even NCL's newer Prima and Viva
- The expanded two-level Vibe Beach Club is a standout adults-only retreat that many reviewers say is worth paying for every time
Common Complaints
- The 2024 refurbishment added 24 cabins, increasing passenger load to over 4,300 on some sailings and worsening crowding
- Reviewers report the ship feels crowded at pools, restaurants and elevators, with only two elevator banks instead of three
- Food draws heavy criticism in recent member reviews, with the buffet and main dining rooms called bland, repetitive and sometimes cold
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