You’ve seen the video. It’s usually grainy, shot on a vertical phone, and accompanied by some dramatic, bass-boosted soundtrack that makes your stomach do a backflip. In the clip, the NCL Joy (Norwegian Joy) seems to be battling an absolute wall of water. Rain is lashing the glass, the horizon is tilting at a 45-degree angle, and then—bam—a massive wave slams into the side of the ship, sending spray higher than the top decks.
It’s terrifying. It’s viral. But honestly, most of the context people attach to these clips is total nonsense.
If you're planning a cruise on the Joy or you're just a nervous traveler who stumbled upon "rogue wave" TikTok, you need the actual story. Is the Norwegian Joy a magnet for bad weather? Did a "big wave" actually cause a disaster? Let’s clear the air.
The Reality of the NCL Joy Big Wave Clips
The internet loves a disaster. If you search for "NCL Joy big wave," you’ll find a mix of real footage and misleading "re-uploads." Most of the scariest footage actually comes from a few specific incidents where the ship encountered rough seas during hurricane season or intense winter storms.
For example, in late 2022, the NCL Joy was caught in the outer bands of a major storm system. It wasn't a "rogue wave" in the scientific sense—which is a wave more than twice the height of the surrounding sea state—but it was definitely a "big wave." Winds were gusting over 50 mph.
I’ve talked to people who were on board during these high-swell events. One cruiser told me, "The rain wasn't even the scary part. It was the sound. When a ship that big hits a wave at a certain angle, it sounds like a sledgehammer hitting a steel drum."
Why the "Rain" Looks So Dramatic
When you’re on Deck 16 of a Breakaway-Plus class ship like the Joy, you’re high up. Really high. When it rains during a storm at sea, it doesn't just fall; the wind turns it into a horizontal pressure washer.
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In many of the viral videos, the "big wave" looks like it's engulfing the ship. Usually, what you're seeing is "white water" or spray being thrown up by the bulbous bow. The Joy is over 1,000 feet long. For a wave to actually "submerge" it, we’d be talking about a movie-style megatsunami, which hasn't happened.
Is the Norwegian Joy Safe in Storms?
Short answer: Yeah, incredibly so.
Ships like the Joy are built with massive stabilizers. Think of them as underwater wings that fold out from the side of the hull. They don't stop the ship from moving entirely, but they keep it from "rolling" side to side too much.
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- The "Duck" Strategy: Captains don't just "white knuckle" it through a storm for fun. They use sophisticated weather routing services. If a massive wave or a "rain bomb" is predicted, they’ll literally park the ship behind an island or change the port order.
- The Hull Design: The Joy has a deep draft and a specific bow shape designed to pierce waves rather than just bob on top of them.
That said, even the best tech can't make 20-foot swells feel like a lake. If the NCL Joy hits a big wave, you’re going to feel it. The pools will be drained (to prevent the "sloshing" effect from damaging the structure), and the outer decks will be locked down.
What Most People Get Wrong About "Rogue" Waves
There’s a lot of confusion between the Norwegian Joy and her older sister, the Norwegian Dawn.
Back in 2005, the Norwegian Dawn was actually hit by a legitimate 70-foot rogue wave. It smashed windows and flooded some suites. That incident is the "gold standard" for cruise ship storm footage, and people often mislabel it as the NCL Joy to get more clicks.
The Joy hasn't had a "Dawn-level" incident. It has, however, faced its fair share of "bomb cyclones" and tropical depressions. In 2024 and 2025, several sailings had to be diverted due to weather, leading to those viral "rain and wave" videos you see.
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What to do if your cruise hits a storm
If you find yourself on the Joy and the sky turns black, don't panic. Basically, just follow these rules:
- Get to the middle: The lower and more "centered" you are in the ship, the less you'll feel the movement. The Joy’s atrium on Deck 6 is a great spot.
- Watch the crew: This is the best advice I ever got. If the waiters are still calmly serving coffee, you’re fine. If the crew starts looking worried, then you can worry. (They won't, though.)
- Green apples and crackers: The Joy’s buffet (Garden Café) usually puts out green apples and crackers during rough seas. It’s an old maritime trick for nausea.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Sailing
If you’re worried about the NCL Joy rain big wave phenomenon, you can actually plan around it.
- Avoid "Bridge" Months: If you’re terrified of big waves, don't book the Atlantic crossings or Caribbean sailings in September (peak hurricane) or February (peak winter storms).
- Pick an Aft or Mid-ship Cabin: Avoid the very front (forward) of the ship. That’s where you feel the "slam" of the waves the most.
- Check the Itinerary: The Joy often sails the Mexican Riviera and Alaska. Alaska is generally calmer, though the Gulf of Alaska can get spicy.
The NCL Joy is a tank. Those videos are scary because they're meant to be, but the "big wave" is usually just a Tuesday for a ship of this size.
Next Steps for Your Trip:
If you're already booked and feeling nervous, your best move is to pack high-quality motion sickness patches (like Scopolamine) or Sea-Bands. Also, keep an eye on your NCL app a week before sailing—if the Captain sees a "big wave" coming, they'll likely change the route before you even leave the pier. Expect the itinerary to be flexible; safety always trumps a specific port of call.