norwegian cruise lines prima

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Norwegian Prima

Former name: fincantieri venice 6298.

Cruise line Norwegian Cruise Line

• Galveston (Texas)
• Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida)
• Southampton (England)
• Reykjavik (Iceland)
• New York (NYC Manhattan-Brooklyn)

Norwegian Prima current position

Norwegian Prima current location is at Caribbean Sea (coordinates 18.41717 N / -68.95959 W) cruising en route to ORANJESTAD, ARUBA. The AIS position was reported 32 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Norwegian Prima

Norwegian Prima current cruise is 11 days, one-way from Miami to New York . Prices start from USD 1969 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 16 Apr, 2024 and ends on 27 Apr, 2024 .

Specifications of Norwegian Prima

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Norwegian Prima Itineraries

Norwegian prima review, review of norwegian prima.

The 2022-built Norwegian Prima cruise ship is the first of all six PRIMA-Class NCL liners constructed in Italy by Fincantieri (Marghera Yard/ Venice ). By volume (142500 GT-tons) Prima's sistership is Viva (2023). From the PRIMA PLUS series are the 10% larger (158000 GT-tons) sisterships Aqua (2025) and TBN4 (2026), as well as the 20% larger (172000 GT-tons) sisterships TBN5 (2027) and TBN6 (2028).

The vessel (IMO number 9823986) is currently Bahamas- flagged (MMSI 311001059) and registered in Nassau .

NCL PRIMA class unit's building cost is EUR 730 million (USD 850M).

NCL's previous BREAKAWAY PLUS-Class boats were all built by Meyer Werft Germany (in Papenburg ).

The design is based on 20 decks, 1646 staterooms, gross-tonnage/volume 142500 GT-tons, passenger capacity 3215 (double occupancy), 16 elevators (passenger lifts, including 2 dedicated to The Haven complex). The Haven complex (public areas and all the 107 staterooms) were designed by the Italian interior design company Lissoni & Partners (Piero Lissoni).

NCL Prima's hull artwork was designed by Manuel Di Rita (aka Peeta/Italian graffiti artist).

History - construction and ownership

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a subsidiary company of the shipping corporation Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH). NCL was founded in 1966, headquartered in Miami (Florida USA) and publicly traded (NASDAQ) company listed on NYSE ( NYC ). NCLH's major shareholders are the corporations Apollo Global Management (American), Genting Group (Malaysian) and TPG Capital (American).

In 2017, the brand NCL had a worldwide cruise market share 8,7% (passengers) and 8,4% (revenue).

NCLH (shipowner) owns the brands NCL , Oceania , and RSSC-Regent .

Decks and Cabins

Norwegian Prima staterooms (1646 total) are in 35 grades and 7 types - The Haven Suites (107x total), Suites, Club Balcony Suites (Mini-Suites), Balcony-Oceanview- Interior staterooms, and Studios (single-occupancy Interior cabins / no single supplement is required). The NCL PRIMA design boasts 18x Suite categories (including the fleet's first 3-bedroom suites) and the NCL's biggest-ever Inside-, Oceanview- and Balcony staterooms.

The ship has a total of 41 handicap staterooms (ADA-certified, wheelchair-accessible cabins) in the following categories/types: HB-Haven Aft Penthouse (1), BA-BB-BF-Balcony (16), O4-Oceanview (7), IA-IB-IF-Inside (17). "Guaranteed" cabin categories are MX-Club Balcony Suite, BX-Balcony, OX-Oceanview, IX-Inside.

The smallest category is T1-Studio (95 ft2 / 9 m2). Inside cabins are sized 160-255 ft2 (15-24 m2). Oceanview cabins are with a Large Round Window and in types Standard (185 ft2 / 17 m2), Large (235 ft2 / 22 m2) and Family (235-370 ft2 / 22-34 m2). Balcony cabins vary in sizes between 230-270-360 ft2 (21-25-34 m2), with step-out balconies sized between 45-70-100 ft2 (4-7-9 m2). The largest accommodation is The Haven Premier Owner's Suite (capacity 8 passengers) sized 2100 ft2 (195 m2) and with a wraparound terrace sized 830 ft2 (77 m2).

The boat has 20 decks , of which 16 are passenger-accessible and 9 with cabins.

Staff/crew cabins are 912.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

NCL's PRIMA-class ship design features more and larger public spaces (both indoor and outdoor), smaller passenger capacity (in comparison to the preceding designs/BREAKAWAY and BREAKAWAY PLUS), new dining and entertainment options, a total of 35x dining venues and bars/lounges (including 7x fleet-first food venues), higher service levels.

The Waterfront (outdoor Promenade deck space found on other NCL vessels) was reimagined by doubling the space on Ocean Boulevard. The 360-degree Promenade complex (sized 44000 ft2 / 4090 m2) completely wraps around the entire deck 8 , offering unobstructed seaviews and housing multiple spaces. The Ocean Boulevard features two large infinity pools, Oceanwalk (glass-bottomed bridges), Indulge Food Hall (NCL's first open-air marketplace), The Concourse (outdoor sculpture garden with "selfie" installations/metal sculptures by Alexander Krivosheiw and David Harber.

Penrose Atrium is NCL's first 3-level atrium (spanning decks 6-7-8). The glass-walled Atrium is marked by scenic sea views, futuristic architecture, a 3-ton crystal chandelier (custom-built by Lasvit / Czechia, constellations-themed), a full-height wall artwork (resembling a topographic map), retail shops and bars on each level (including Starbucks Coffee Shop, Whiskey Bar, Penrose Bar, Prima Casino).

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Prima restaurants and food bars.

• The aft-located "Indulge Food Hall" (with a Firepit) is an open-air Marketplace that houses total 11x eateries (with indoor-outdoor seating, 120 items in 3x different menus/breakfast, lunch, dinner), Luna Bar, Indulge Outdoor Lounge, Soleil Bar, Waves Pool Bar, Prima Speedway Bar, a seating area serving Starbucks coffee.
• "Los Lobos Cantina" is new for NCL dining concept. Los Lobos is a la carte-priced restaurant that has both indoor and outdoor seating and offers traditional Mexican cuisine specialties. The menu includes tableside-made guacamole, fresh-baked corn tortillas, Tacos Al Pastor (with marinated pork, similar to doner kebabs/gyros), Chicken Enchiladas de Mole, handcrafted cocktails.
• "Onda by Scarpetta" is an Italian specialty restaurant (reservations-only, cover charge, kids charged a full cover) with both indoor and outdoor seating. The Onda restaurant is open between 5:30-9:30 pm and has large tables. The liner's Italian dining experience is marked by a casual atmosphere and large portions (perfect for family dinners) and traditional fine Italian wines and gourmet cuisine specialties - including oven-baked pizzas, homemade daily pasta, top-quality seafood, classic salads, freshly-baked bread, gourmet desserts (including gelato ice cream). Onda by Scarpetta features an outdoor terrace (Waterfront seating area).
• "Coco's" (patisserie shop) serves artisan sweet treats.
• "Seaside Rotisserie" offers a variety of grilled and spit-roasted meat dishes.
• "Nudls" is a food bar offering noodle dishes and global street food.
• "Tamara" serves classic Indian dishes along with multiple vegetarian options.
• "Tapas Food Truck" offers Spanish-inspired street food.
• "Q Texas Smokehouse" offers Southern USA comfort food and barbecue dishes.
• "The Local Bar & Grill" provides a beach club experience and serves classic American cuisine and premium cocktails.
• "Garden Kitchen" offers customized salads with 12+ ingredients to choose from.
• "The Concourse" is an outdoor sculpture garden (located midship-starboard) featuring an art wall designed by David Harber (who specializes in outdoor sculptures, sundials and water features) and 6x "Instagrammable/selfie" installations by Alexander Krivosheiw and David Harber, both specializing in bronze and aluminum sculptures. The cruise ship's 7x sculptures are valued at USD 2+ million (~EUR 1,7M).
• "La Terraza" is an open-air Promenade lounge featuring a quaint retreat with forward-facing sea views.
• "Infinity Beach" (sundeck) has 2 infinity swimming pools (at the edge of the deck / aft-midship) and two Oceanwalks (glass-bottom bridges / midship) - a first feature for the NCL brand.
• Palomar (specialty Mediterranean seafood restaurant)
• Hasuki (specialty Japanese hibachi restaurant, decorated with original Japanese artworks and handcrafted pottery)
• Nama (specialty Japanese sashimi and sushi bar house)
• Le Bistro (specialty French restaurant)
• Cagney's Steakhouse is a specialty dinner restaurant (open 5:30-10:30 pm) for prime steaks (Certified Angus Beef) and gourmet seafood specialties. The Cagney's restaurant is reservations-only, with a cover charge of US$30 per person and a free Kids Menu. At Cagney's, kids are charged a full cover. Additionally, the steakhouse is open for suite guests only serving Breakfast (7:30-9:30 am) and Lunch (12-1:30 pm).
• Food Republic (Asian-fusion restaurant) is an exclusive dining concept (via a partnership with the Pubbelly Restaurant Group). This specialty restaurant is open lunch through dinner, and offers international cuisine with a la carte menu and an iPad ordering system.
• Observation Lounge & Bar (also has telescopes)
• Humidor Cigar Lounge (cigar shop and bar)
• The Belvedere Bar (cocktail lounge)
• Metropolitan Bar is NCL's first "sustainable bar" serving zero-waste cocktails, "green spirits" (produced with renewable energy), 20+ biodynamic wines (organically farmed).
• Surfside Cafe and Surfside Grill offer self-serve casual food and a-la-minute items (upon request).

Both MDRs/Main Dining Rooms are aft-positioned (The Commodore Room/deck 6, and Hudson's Room/deck 7) and with revamped fixed menus that offer a sampling of various international dishes, fully vegetarian and vegan options, as well as build-your-own-pasta (24 combinations/custom-made dishes can be requested by selecting the Italian pasta, sauce, topping) plus Specialties menu (you can select/sample a dish from one of the specialty restaurants).

Other onboard culinary choices include "The Latin Quarter" (classic Latin food with a twist), "Just Desserts" (including pies and cakes), "Just Ice Cream".

"The Haven by Norwegian" on PRIMA-class NCL ships (designed by Piero Lissoni & Partners) spans 8 decks and groups suites, public areas, and exclusive venues, all positioned in the aft/stern section.

NCL's luxury "ship-within-a-ship" ( exclusive/keycard-access-only) complex has 107x Haven Suites (aft-positioned) and 2x private elevators - exclusively for Haven passengers. The aft lifts rise into The Haven's public areas and interconnect decks 6 through 18. For the first time, every public area offers sea views from floor-ceiling windows. The Haven Sundeck is an exclusive sunbathing area with plenty of padded sun loungers and deckchairs and is located aft on decks 16-17.

• Deck 16's Sundeck has an infinity pool at the stern (swimming pool overlooking the ship's wake), an outdoor Spa (featuring a glass-walled Sauna Room and Cold Room), Concierge Desk, Haven Outdoor Restaurant, Haven Outdoor Lounge & Bar (offering a limited buffet for breakfast and lunch, with traditional Chinese and Western cuisine specialties).
• Deck 17's Haven Sundeck has two Jacuzzis (outdoor whirlpool hot tubs) and outdoor Showers.
• Deck 18's Haven Sundeck has an infinity pool (with a stern-facing glass wall) and a large sunbathing area with padded loungers and Showers.

The 24-hour butler service is provided complimentary.

The ship's wellness complex groups the facilities of the Mandara Spa and the Pulse Fitness Center.

• The Gym is fitted with ultra-modern equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, steppers, free weights) and features a separate Aerobics Studio (for classes/spinning, yoga, pilates, dance, cardio, fitness and strength training, TRX workouts) and a Performance Recovery Room (for group fitness classes and gym workshops using Hyperice products).
• The indoor Spa features a charcoal Sauna Room and a 2-story/2-deck cascading waterfall, as well as Salt Room, Steam Room, Ice Room, Infrared Sauna, Finnish Sauna, Experiential Showers, Vitality Pool, Flotation Salt Pool, Relaxation Lounge (fitted with 22x hot-stone loungers), 20x Treatment Rooms (for massages), Changing/Locker Rooms.

With the PRIMA-class ships, NCL also introduced new spa services, including computer-controlled acoustic and vibrational therapies (via 2x Gharieni massage beds - Welnamis, and Wellmassage5D), as well as "Ocean Spa Wave Massage" (therapeutic warm wrap using sea plants and marine algae, based on seaweed masks, aromatherapy essential oils, massages/scalp and feet), "Zero Gravity Wellness Massage" (8x tables/the body is suspended on the treatment table) and ELEMIS' "Musclease Aroma Spa Ocean Wrap" (beneficial for rheumatism, arthritis, muscle spasms, fatigue, based on essential oils/pine and rosemary) and "Cellutox Aroma Spa Ocean Wrap" (reducing cellulite and fluid retention, based on detoxifying essential oils/juniper and lemon).

The Aqua Park (3-decks high) has 2x swimming pools, 5x multi-level waterslides (Ocean Loop), 2x racing slides (The Rush), 1x freefall dry slide (The Drop), "Tidal Wave" waterslide (fleet's first to allow innertube surfing), 4x Jacuzzies (2x infinity pools/hot tubs), poolside bar, sundeck/sunbathing area.

Vibe Beach Club is an adults-only relaxation area (surcharges per day apply) with cantilevered whirlpools (2x infinity spa pools/hot tubs), an outdoor pool bar, sunbathing area (with loungers and luxury chaise lounge chairs), private cabanas.

Syd Norman's Pour House (debuted on Norwegian Breakaway in 2018) is a rock-and-roll-themed bar lounge with live band music (all-time-greatest songs).

At the Headliners Comedy Club Lounge are presented the shows "The Second City" (comedy), "Howl At The Moon" (piano), "The Improv at Sea" (standup performances), "Science of Comedy" (intellectual).

The Sensoria Theatre Lounge (aka Prima Theater & Club Bar) spans 3 decks (6-7-8) and features a large stage (for live performances), a huge dance floor, customizable seating, a large LED moving screen lowering down from the ceiling (sized nearly half the venue's size), UHD media, surround sound, special visual effects. In the evenings, Sensoria transforms into a Vegas-style disco nightclub with live DJ programming and high-energy music.

Daily at Sensoria Theatre are held enrichment lectures, bingo, trivia games with prizes.

• Exclusively for NCL Prima was developed the interactive "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" themed on the American singer and actress Donna Summer (born as LaDonna Adrian Gaines/1948-2012). The 75-minute show features 20+ of her hits including "Heaven Knows" (1978), "Last Dance" (1978, from the "Thank God It's Friday" film's soundtrack), "Hot Stuff" (1979), "Bad Girls" (1979), "Dim All the Lights" (1979).
• Sensoria Theatre also houses the NCL's series of interactive game shows "LIVE on NCL", featuring grand prizes and themed "The Price is Right", "Supermarket Sweep", "Press Your Luck", "Beat the Clock".

Norwegian Prima's interactive show productions are the first at sea when the Prima Theater transforms into a nightclub and all guests participate in the show. The shows were developed via partnership with Fremantle (fka FremantleMedia, British/London-based TV production and distribution company, subsidiary of the RTL Group/Luxembourg-based media broadcasting corporation). The theater lounge also hosts the 2022-debuted game show "The Price is Right LIVE".

Like all boats from the BREAKAWAY and BREAKAWAY PLUS series, NCL's Prima has the "Prima Speedway" (fleet's largest racetrack), "The Rush" (2-tube/dueling dry slides) and "The Drop" (world's first freefall dry slide/10-deck high).

"Prima Speedway" is NCL fleet's first racetrack on 3 levels/decks (the old racetracks are 2-level), with a longer straightaway/straight section, 14 turns and total length 420 m (1378 ft), which is ~1/5th larger than the racetrack on Norwegian Encore (fleet's previous largest). The racetrack goes around and through the funnel/smokestack, max capacity 15 cars (racing simultaneously) and allows max speeds 50+ kph (30+ mph). The unique sports facility is served by the Speedway Bar (located beneath the racetrack).

The "Galaxy Pavilion" is an indoor complex for virtual-world and multi-player gaming, equipped with interactive video walls and virtual reality technology.

• On NCL Prima ship, the complex has 14 total attractions, including 4x new simulators and 2x Escape Rooms.
• Also new is the Topgolf Swing Suite (fleet's first golfing venue to deliver "social experiences") fitted with Topgolf's games (virtual golf courses, multi-player gaming) and powered by Full Swing Golf (the same simulation technology used by PGA Tour professionals).
• "The Bull's Eye" is a new competitive gaming experience (based on the classic darts game) featuring a video tracking system that automatically calculates each gamer's score and offers instant replays.

On Prima, NCL offers "Tee Time" (interactive mini-golfing) where gamers can play on a 9-hole Mini-Golf Course.

NCL debuted on Prima its own gin brand "'66 by Norwegian" (sustainably sourced, distilled and bottled in Nicaragua) named after NCL's founding year (1966). The new '66 Gin was first offered at Prima's Metropolitan Bar (aft-starboard on Deck 7). A new draft beer ('66 by Norwegian) was also introduced on Prima and first served at the Soleil Bar (aft of Deck 8). The new '66 beer (brewed by the 2002-founded, Athens GA USA-based Terrapin Beer Company) is with a citrus flavor.

The list of the rest of Norwegian Prima lounges, clubs, and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults include the following:

• Viva Theater & Club (Bar/Disco Nightclub) fka Sensoria Theatre Lounge
• Penrose Atrium
• Penrose Bar (a morning and late-night venue serving wine, beer, cocktails, and more)
• Cruise Next, Sales Office, Shore Excursions & Guest Services Desk
• Casino (VIP & Smoking)
• Belvedere Bar is a contemporary bar & cocktail lounge serving crafted bottled cocktails
• Splash Academy (kids 3-12 yo, is a 2-story facility with Nickelodeon-themed activities, a light-up floor (interactive dancing), a resident clown at the circus school, Nintendo and PS3 consoles, kids cinema, crafts-arts activities, pirate parades), Guppies Nursery (for kids 6 months to 2 yo), Kid's Aqua Park (with a splash pool, Nickelodeon characters entertainment).
• I-Connect Internet Cafe (24-hour), Art Gallery
• Whiskey Bar
• The Gateway mini mall offers various brands and items.
• Beauty by Design & Aficionados (shop) sells top-brand cosmetics/fragrances, including IT Cosmetics, NYX, Clinique, Chanel, Lancome, and more. Guests can save up to 50% on spirits, including Prima exclusives.

The ship's other shops include Roberto Coin (jewelry), Effy Jewelry, Timeless Luxury & Fine Watches, Pandora Jewelry & Lifestyles, The Zone & Eye Style, Tech @ Sea, Perspectives Photo Studio & Gallery.

Itineraries

Norwegian Prima itinerary program is based on European and Caribbean seasonal deployments with seasonal Transatlantic voyages (RepositionCruises.com) and three USA homeports - two in Florida ( Port Canaveral , Miami ) and one in Texas ( Galveston /since 2023 December). Bookings opened on May 12, 2021. On May 17, NCL bragged that (by first-day bookings and week of sales) Prima has become the brand's most popular ship ever.

NCL Prima ship's Maiden Voyage was initially scheduled to start on August 17, 2022. The inaugural season included 10-day Baltic itineraries leaving from Amsterdam Holland and Copenhagen Denmark and visiting ports in Northern Europe (including Norway's Fjords).

• On September 22, 2022, departed the 12-day Transatlantic crossing from Southampton to NYC New York , with call ports in Scotland (Lerwick), Iceland (Reykjavik), and Nova Scotia Canada (Halifax).
• On October 10th started the inaugural ex-USA voyage (5-day to Bermuda) out of NYC.
• On October 15th started the 12-day relocation from NYC to Galveston Texas (first-ever time for NCL), visiting in the Caribbean Dominicana (Puerto Plata), The Netherlands' ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) and Mexico (Cozumel).
• On October 31st started the 11-day relocation from Galveston to PortMiami , visiting Cozumel, the ABC islands, and The Bahamas ( Great Stirrup Cay, NCL's private island ).

Between December 11, 2022, and March 19, 2023, the liner was based in Port Canaveral for 5-7-9-day roundtrips to Western Caribbean ports (Cozumel Mexico, Ocho Rios Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island, Great Stirrup Cay). Then the ship was shortly homeported in NYC (March through May 2023) for 5-7-day Bermuda cruises.

In summer 2023 (May 25-Nov 20), Norwegian Prima was deployed in Northern Europe (10-11-day "Norway and Iceland" itineraries leaving out of Reykjavik Iceland and Southampton England UK) and also in the Mediterranean (9-10-day voyages from Civitavecchia-Rome to Barcelona).

From November 19 through December 3, 2023, Norwegian Prima cruises from PortMiami offering three 7-day Western Caribbean voyages to Harvest Caye Belize (NCL's private island) , Cozumel Mexico , Roatan Island Honduras .

In September 2021 NCL announced that for season 2023-2024 Prima will be homeported in Galveston Texas . The 7-day Western Caribbean roundtrips visit Mexico (Cozumel, Costa Maya ), Belize (Harvest Caye) and Honduras ( Isla Roatan/Mahogany Bay ), with call port stays between 8-9 hours.

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Other Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ships

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• Norwegian Epic
• Norwegian Escape
• Norwegian Gem
• Norwegian Getaway
• Norwegian Jade
• Norwegian Jewel
• Norwegian Joy
• Norwegian Pearl
• Norwegian Sky
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Norwegian Prima Wiki

On February 16, 2017, the shipowner NCLH (Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd) signed with Fincantieri an order for 4x NCL LEONARDO Class (renamed to "NCL PRIMA" in 2021) units for the NCL brand.

• The newbuilds were scheduled for deliveries in 2022 through 2025 (one ship per year), with an option for two more units to be added to the order in the future. On July 12, 2018, NCLH ordered two more units (PRIMA PLUS series) currently scheduled for deliveries in 2027 and 2028.
• The NCLH-Fincantieri deal was backed by CDP (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti SpA/1850-founded, Turino-based Italian investment bank) and SACE SpA (Servizi Assicurativi del Commercio Estero/1977-founded Italian Export Credit Agency).
• All shipbuilding orders were signed by Frank Del Rio (NCLH's President and CEO) and Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri SpA's CEO).

Next YouTube video is NCL's official release with renderings of the new-class cruiser.

The ship was launched (floated out from drydock at Marghera yard/near Venice Italy ) on August 13, 2021. The float-out ceremony was attended by Harry Sommer (NCL's President and CEO) and Luigi Matarazzo (Fincantieri's Merchant Ships Division's General Manager).

The Norwegian Prima vessel was initially scheduled for delivery to NCLH (shipowner) on June 30, 2022, but was delayed to July 29th. The ceremony was held at the Marghera yard and attended by Harry Sommer (NCL), Pierroberto Folgiero (Fincantieri's CEO and Managing Director), Captain Roger Gustavsen (the ship's first Master), as well as by Frank Del Rio (NCLH's President and CEO).

Prima is the first of all six PRIMA-class (fka LEONARDO) units ordered by NCLH for its subsidiary NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line . The deliveries of all PRIMA-class units were originally planned for 2022 through 2027 (one vessel per year).

The NCL ship's namesakes are the AmaWaterways ' riverboat AmaPrima (2013-built) and the AIDA 's liner AIDAprima (2016-built).

The vessel (Fincantieri Marghera yard/hull number 6298) has a powerplant based on 5x main Wartisla diesel engines - 3x model 8L46 (8-cylinder) and 2x model 12V46 (12-cylinder), plus 1x Caterpillar diesel generator (model 3516C HD) and 6x Alfa Laval auxiliary boilers (1x oil/gas fired plus 5x exhaust gas heated).

The propulsion system is diesel-electric and based on 3x bow thrusters (model Brunvoll FU115) and 2x aft thrusters (model ABB Azipod XO).

The registered shipowner is Leonardo One Ltd (subsidiary of NCLH) while as ship manager is listed NCL Bahamas Ltd.

Ship christening 2022

On March 17, 2022, NCL announced the name of the ship's godmother - Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (Katy Perry, 1984-born American singer, songwriter, "American Idol" judge).

• Having sold 143+ million records (as of 2022), Katy Perry is listed among the "best-selling artists of all time" (those with 75+ million record sales). She has 9x US No1 singles, 3x US No1 albums, 5x Billboard Music Awards, 5x American Music Awards, 1x Brit Award, 1x Juno Award.
• She also has 4x Guinness World Records - 2010 ("Best Start on the US Digital Chart by a Female Artist"/2+ million digital single copies sold), 2013 (female artist with five No1 "Billboard Hot 100" songs), 2014 (the most-watched show in history/Super Bowl XLIX halftime show, 118,5 million viewers in the USA), 2015 (for most Twitter followers).
• As of 2022, she has the most Twitter followers (100+ million).
• Since 2018, Katy Perry is among the judges on "American Idol" (2022-launched singing competition TV series, since 2018 aired on ABC).

NCL Prima's christening ceremony was initially scheduled for September 3, 2022 (to be held in Amsterdam Netherlands , right before the Maiden Voyage) but actually happened on August 27th, in Reykjavik Iceland . The "naming party" was attended by 2500+ guests.

The naming was in Reykjavik's Harpa Concert Hall (where are regularly scheduled live performances by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Icelandic Opera and Reykjavik Big Band). The special event was attended by Frank Del Rio (NCLH's President and CEO), Katy Perry (godmother) and Richard Ambrose (NCL's Senior VP of Entertainment and Cruise Programs). Performances were made by IDC-Iceland Dance Company (1973-established), Briet Isis Elfar (1999-born Icelandic singer), and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra's 8-person Cello Ensemble.

The ceremony was opened with a LED light show designed by the Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson (1967-born).

Inaugural itineraries 2022

Next tables show the liner's Maiden Voyage and the first cruises by destination/homeport) with lowest prices per person with double occupancy.

( MAIDEN VOYAGE ) 10-day from Amsterdam to Copenhagen (US$2250 pp)

(inaugural Transatlantic crossing) 12-day from the UK to USA (US $3730 pp)

(inaugural Bermuda) 5-day roundtrip out of NYC (US$985 pp)

(East Coast USA relocation) 12-day from New York to Texas (US$2045 pp)

(repositioning) 11-day from Texas to Florida (US$2085 pp)

(inaugural Caribbean from Miami) 7-day (US$1330 pp)

(inaugural Caribbean from Port Canaveral) 5-day (US$980 pp)

Review: Norwegian Prima

Reviewed by Mercedes Bleth

What is the line?  Norwegian Cruise Line

Name of ship?   Prima

Passenger occupancy?  3,099

Itinerary?  Christening: Reykjavik, Iceland  > Cobh, Ireland > Le Havre, France >  Weymouth, U.K. > Amsterdam, Netherlands

Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for?  

Norwegian is known as an easy-going cruise line. Their tagline, “freestyle cruising” means that there are no set itineraries for each day, but instead, a wide array of options to choose from. There are also no strict dress codes aboard, so you can leave that tux at home. 

Tell us about the ship in general  

When describing the Norwegian Prima, President and CEO Harry Sommer stated that he envisioned creating something “that didn’t look like a cruise ship.” He wanted it to feel upscale, as if you’re at a luxury resort. And often, while strolling the wide halls of the ship, or viewing a Broadway show at the Prima Theatre, you forget that you’re in the middle of the ocean and truly do feel like you are on the firm ground of a luxury all-inclusive. 

Built in 2022, The Prima is the first of six ships from the Prima Class, which is the brand’s first new class of ships in nearly ten years. The design of the Prima class feels more elevated and modern than the brand’s other ships, from the subtle wave graphics on the outside of the ship to the trendy neutral decor on the inside (excluding the casino and recreational areas, where no neon light has been spared). As the youngest ship in a young fleet, there are many shiny—and innovative—bells and whistles throughout, from a virtual reality arcade room to a three-tiered go-kart racing track. 

Who is onboard?  

Norwegian is a multigenerational cruise line, catering to everyone “from 2-92.” The Prima in particular is very family-friendly, offering a wide range of experiences that can be enjoyed by any age group.

Describe the cabins  

There are 1,586 total suites onboard—107 of them are located in the ship’s exclusive section named The Haven. I stayed in a spacious Balcony suite (of which there are 946) that was designated as accessible. However, a peek into a standard Balcony Suite showed much tighter quarters, though I’m told they’re slightly more spacious than the average cruise line’s. All rooms are decorated in a calm, neutral color palette with modern wall art and plenty of lights, plugs, and a large TV. The subtle decor lets the balcony view really shine.

Tell us about the crew  

You’ll find the Prima crew to be super friendly, casual, and conversational. Everyone is incredibly attentive—put an empty glass down and expect someone at your side in seconds to take it away and offer you a fresh one. Our dedicated steward for our room, Michael, transformed our room each time we left it and kept us smiling with a booming “Hello!” each time we crossed paths.

What food and drink options are available on board?

You’ll have a hard time sampling all of the food available onboard. There are eight specialty dining options that require reservations, six regular restaurants, and room service (available 24 hours a day). During the ship’s christening, reservations to the specialty dining restaurants were hard to come by due to technical issues and scheduling errors, which will hopefully be ironed out when the next group sets sail. 

A highlight among the complimentary dining options is the Indulge Food Hall—a first for NCL—which features eight stalls focusing on different global cuisines. Tamara, featuring Indian cuisine cooked by tandoor, is a can’t-miss. 

From the selection of non-specialty restaurants, I found myself drifting back to The Surfside Café & Grill again and again throughout the day—the options on the buffet are vast and genuinely tasty, and the ocean views from any seat are superb.  

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

Make sure to plan a visit to the ship’s Mandara Spa. The Thermal Suite features sauna experiences ranging from hot salt steams and infrared lights, to refreshingly cold, experiential showers. There are also two shallow soaking pools to enjoy—one acts as a wave pool, emulating the rocking of the ship. But possibly the best part of the spa comes after you’ve finished your soak and sauna. Grab a robe and a cup of tea and head to the relaxation room, where you can recline on heated loungers, all angled towards the front of the ship with floor-to-ceiling windows so there’s nothing but blue ocean views wherever you look.

There is also a wide menu of treatments, from massages to nail salon services. There’s even a barber, should you need a clean-up at sea. 

Activities and entertainment  

You’ll have to work hard to become bored on this ship, which has entertainment stuffed into every corner. On the 18th floor you’ll find The Stadium, which has everything from mini golf to the Prima Speedway, a three-level race track. Draped down the sides of the ship are two giant slides. For those less interested in that kind of adrenaline rush, there’s also a large Virtual Reality game room. At the Prima Theatre, you can catch the Broadway musical Summer: The Donna Summer Story , or a live version of The Price is Right . At night, the theater transforms into a nightclub featuring various DJs. There’s also a large casino on board, if you’re feeling lucky. 

How was the experience for families?

The ship’s accommodations are varying and offer different set ups that accommodate the entire family. For the kids, there is an aqua park on Deck 18, and the indoor “Splash Academy” where they can enjoy creative play, including newly developed hands-on science and arts programs available only aboard the Norwegian Prima. 

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?

Prima destinations include Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Greek Isles, the Mediterranean, and Northern Europe departing from her home ports of Port Canaveral, Florida, and Galveston, Texas. The christening journey took us from Reykjavik to Amsterdam, porting in Cobh, Ireland; Le Havre, France; and Weymouth, U.K.

Are there any stand-out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

One of The Prima’s cooler sustainable initiatives is The Metropolitan bar where they create “zero waste cocktails” utilizing ingredients from the ship that might otherwise be wasted. For example, oddly shaped croissants get turned into syrup used in a creative Mai Tai drink, and watermelon tequila spritzs are infused with leftover rinds. 

Other green initiatives include becoming the first cruise line to stop using plastic straws and plastic water bottles, with the goal of completely eliminating plastic in the future. On the ship, you can purchase boxed water cartons, but strangely, they ask guests not to refill their reusable water bottles in any of the dining hall drink stations. 

Anything we missed?

Some of my favorite parts of the ship could be lost amongst the flashier amenities—but shouldn’t be. Take a stroll along Ocean Boulevard, a walkway that wraps around the entire ship. Along the way, you can peer through viewfinders to spot birds and incoming ports, pass by the sculpture garden, and glide over the Oceanwalk: a glass walkway where you can observe the sea rolling beneath your feet. 

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Norwegian Prima Full Tour: How It’s Different Than Any Cruise Ship You’ve Sailed

Anyone that has cruised before knows each cruise line has its own “personality” when it comes to the design and style of their ships. And anyone that has sailed multiple ships within the same cruise line knows that the different ships — and classes of ships — can each have their own feel as well.

With each new ship, cruise lines push the limits of what’s possible at sea. The result? Every new iteration from a cruise line offers something a little different for its passengers.

But in the case of Norwegian Prima — the newest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet and the first of the all-new Prima class — this isn’t just a slightly different style compared to past ships. Instead, it’s like no other cruise ship we’ve (and undoubtedly you) have ever experienced.

So what makes it so different? Cruzely was recently provided a tour of the brand new ship, which we explored practically from bow to stern…

First Impressions of Prima (Exterior)

The first thing you’ll notice as you see the ship is that it looks like no other vessel in Norwegian’s fleet. With this new Prima class, the cruise line has opted not just to tweak the design of past vessels, but instead to seemingly start from scratch. In fact, apart rom the famous hull painting that is a staple across the entire fleet, you wouldn’t recognize the ship as being from Norwegian Cruise Line.

From a vertical bow to a back half of the ship that sweeps in on either side (offering more deck space for the lower decks, which are closer to the ocean), there are some major design changes to the exterior of the ship.

As well, NCL has made another bold move that’s nearly unseen in cruising today. As most cruise lines continue to build ships that are larger and larger, Norwegian Prima — and the entire Prima class — is actually smaller than previous ships.

Norwegian Encore, the most recent new ship before Prima, came in at 169,000 gross tons and carried nearly 4,000 passengers at double occupancy. For comparison, Prima is 143,500 gross tons and carries 3,100 passengers.

But you wouldn’t notice the size difference unless the two ships sat next to each other. There’s no doubt the Prima still is a very large cruise ship.

First Impressions (Interior)

Stepping aboard Prima for the first time, you quickly realize that the changes with a new class of ship don’t just apply to its size or the hull style. Having sailed on dozens of ships, including all the major cruise lines and a number of NCL vessels across different classes, Prima is like nothing else we’ve seen.

The first thing that you’ll notice upon entering (and throughout the entire ship) is how stylish all the design choices are everywhere that you go. The colors are modern and calming, there are different textures everywhere that give a high-end feel, and there is hardly a straight line anywhere on the ship.

It’s not a stretch to say that instead of designing a cruise ship, NCL has instead designed a high-end hotel. The style would match right in with the nicest hotels you’d find anywhere on land, and frankly, it’s nicer and more stylish than any cruise ship we’ve been on. (If you’re looking for something to compare Prima too, perhaps it’s most similar to ships like Celebrity’s Edge class.)

As just a single example, consider outdoor seating. Head on most ships and your options for sitting outside include row after row of blue deck chairs. That’s not the case on Prima. Sure, there are deck loungers in abundance, but there are also day beds, swinging chairs, tables with chairs, and outdoor sofas. So no matter how you want to relax, you can do it that way.

The other major change with Prima is that there’s been a lot of thought put into making a large ship feel “boutique” with its space. A normal cruise ship has lots of wide-open spaces, such as the pool deck, or the main lobby, or the dining rooms.

But throughout this ship, it’s been designed to make things feel most more cozy. Take the main dining room in the back of the ship, Hudson’s. Instead of a massive dining area with hundreds of tables across a massive room, it’s designed around the curve of the ship. The result is that you are still in a large dining space, but can only see tables in a much smaller area, providing more intimacy.

The main atrium is still large, but with staircases and flowing decks above that provide a more secluded setting. And perhaps the largest open area of the ship is the casino, but its layout offers a tremendous amount of space between tables and machines instead of feeling like you’re on top of other people. This sort of design is throughout the entire ship. There is hardly any spot that’s a wide open space or massive room. Even the theater is modest by cruise ship standards.

What’s Around the Ship

We’ve discussed a number of areas around the ship, but let’s dive into what you can expect with the major highlights.

Penrose Atrium The atrium on Norwegian Prima is a bit different than what you’ll find on any other ship. Going between decks 6-8, it’s not near as wide-open as you might be used to. Instead, it’s much more intimate with lots of different spots to sit and have a private conversation and a drink. Head up near the Starbucks on Deck 7 and you’ll have floor to ceiling windows and a glass ceiling to give you sweeping views of the water.

In this area you’ll also find things like Guest Services, Shore Excursions, shopping, and more.

Casino The casino runs along Deck 6 and we must say it is the most spaced out casino we’ve seen on a ship. Games include slots, tables, coin pusher machines, and there is also a VIP section for high rollers.

Dining NCL places a big emphasis on food, and Prima sees the introduction of a new spot called Indulge Food Hall. This area is a casual eatery with food from roughly a dozen different spots. It includes everything from salads to seafood, BBQ, Indian, sweets, and more. No matter what you like, there will be something for you. Sit down, order from the tablet on your table, and the food is brought to you.

In addition, there are any number of restaurants on the ship. From main dining rooms to the buffet (Surfside Cafe) and The Local for included dining, to specialty dining like Los Lobos, Food Republic, Cagney’s Steakhouse, and Onda by Scarpetta that are an extra charge.

La Terrazza/Ocean Boulevard We mentioned that Prima’s back half of the ship is “cut in” from the hull. This provides a wide area on Deck 8 where you can get outdoors much closer to the ocean than on other ships. Here there is the Oceanwalk, which takes you over a glass walkway that looks down to the water below. There is The Concourse, which is an outdoor sculpture garden. And then there is Ocean Boulevard.

Think of this area as a second pool deck. It’s wide on both sides of the ship with plenty of seating. There is also Infinity Beach, with two (relatively small) infinity pools to take in the views of the water, and even day beds sitting on islands around water.

Pool Deck Head upstairs to Deck 17 and you’ll find the pool deck, but it’s a big change from what you might be used to seeing. In short, if you’re expecting a large wide-open pool deck, then it’s far from it. In fact, it might be the smallest we’ve seen on a major ship.

The pool itself is in line with the size you might find on other ships, but the seating around is significantly smaller. There are also infinity-edge hot tubs and a poolside bar.

Slides/Kids Area Near the pool deck you’ll find the kids’ waterpark with a number of spots for parents to lounge while the little ones play in the water. On the other side of a partition is a large sun deck for those that want to get some rays but don’t need to be at the pool.

As well, there is also the Wave Waterslide, a raft slide that takes you out over the edge of the ship for those wanting an adrenaline rush.

Speedway/Games Area The aft area of Deck 18 is where you can plan your kids to want to spend the most time on Prima. Of course, the big draw is the three-level Prima Speedway where you can drive go-karts while at sea ($15 to ride). This popular feature makes an appearance after being a hit on other NCL ships.

But the entire area around the track is also filled with things to do. There are dry slides (The Rush) that loop down 10 stories to Ocean Boulevard. The Stadium has a lot of free-to-play games like shuffleboard, ping pong, and even beer pong (beer optional).

New to Prima is The Bull’s Eye ($40 for 50 minutes), which are private booths for playing darts. And then there is Tee Time ($10), which is a mini-golf course like you’ve never seen. Instead of simple little greens, these holes are much more engaging and you can even win prizes.

Perhaps the biggest adrenaline rush is known simply as The Drop. This slide drops you 10 stories out over the ocean. Good luck trying not to scream.

Galaxy Pavilion Located on Deck 17 forward, Galaxy Pavilion, which has been a fixture on newer NCL ships, is also on Prima. Here are a ton of immersive virtual reality games, an escape room, and even a TopGolf golf simulator. Games cost $8 each or $29 for an hour. The escape room is $15 per person.

Mandara Spa The spa has always been a big deal on NCL, and aboard Prima that’s no different. Just about any treatment you can imagine is available, but if it were up to us, then a day pass just to relax here would be the biggest draw.

The spa features thermal relaxation beds with beautiful window views, an ice room, sauna, salt room, and more. But the main centerpiece are the multiple immersion pools with the two-story waterfall beside them.

In addition, there is the gym, which features one of the best views from anywhere on the ship.

The Haven Norwegian has pushed The Haven — the exclusive area of suites and other amenities — on recent ships. Prima actually has the most Haven rooms as a percentage of the entire ship than any other vessel in the fleet.

In addition, there are its own private elevators, sundeck, lounge/bar, restaurants, and infinity pool at the aft of the ship. If you’re wanting the most exclusive experience on the ship, then The Haven is where you’ll want to be. Think of it as a “resort within a resort.”

Cabins What about your home away from home? Much like the rest of the ship, cabins are done in calming neutral colors, with a whole lot of modern style. In fact, we would even describe them as minimalist.

One feature we did like of the cabin we toured? Instead of the typical round shower enclosure, the walk-in shower is a rectangle with a glass door. It seems to offer much more space than the typical in-cabin shower.

Who Will Love This Ship (and Maybe Not so Much)

While NCL has pushed toward offering more luxury than other major cruise lines, it’s obvious that Norwegian Prima is pushing even more in that direction. As we said at the beginning of this article, this isn’t so much a cruise ship as a high-end hotel.

For adults wanting to take a luxury cruise, this is your ship . It’s stylish, elegant, and dare we say sexy? Design is at the top of the charts onboard, and the entire ship feels “boutique.” If you’re celebrating a honeymoon, anniversary, or want a romantic getaway, then we can’t think of a better ship right now.

In fact, we loved the vessel (although admittedly we were only a visitor for a few hours). There were a couple of things that could be an issue.

For one, the design that makes the ship feel so much more intimate and cozy? It really extends everywhere, even spots that would be better served with larger space. For instance, the pool deck at the top of the ship is small, so instead of that open and airy feeling you get at the top of a ship, it’s still a bit enclosed.

If you have kids under 10 years old, then this likely isn’t the ship for you. Yes, there are areas for kids and there will be things for them to do. However, Norwegian Prima is definitely designed for adult passengers in our eyes.

Older kids and teenagers? That’s a different story. They should have plenty to do on the ship between the go-karts, Galaxy Pavilion, waterslides and the games area at the back of the ship. However, these aren’t really designed with smaller kids in mind.

Final Thoughts on Norwegian Prima

If you’re a fan of NCL’s most recent ships like Encore, then you have some sense for the more upscale atmosphere and design that’s been put into the ship. Prima takes that another step farther.

This isn’t a ship designed to appeal to people looking for a cruise for $50 per day. It’s a high-end ship focused much more on luxury. And in our opinion, the price — while typically higher than what you’ll find on other mass market cruise lines — is still fair compared to what you’d pay for a similar level resort on land.

For instance, we found balcony cabins around $1,300 per person for a one week cruise (including NCL’s Free at Sea with bar, specialty dining, wi-fi, and excursions). For a couple that would be around $2,600 or $370 per day.

In a high-end land resort, we’d expect to pay around that for a nightly stay, and that doesn’t include food, beverage, or entertainment. In addition, you get to travel from port to port compared to staying in one place at a land-based resort.

If you’re a passenger that wants a luxury experience while also getting the amenities and activities that are found on a large vessel, then you might have found your cruise ship.

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Sounds great, but more of a money pit to me. Would love to see it though. I’ll stick to the many others where I can take two cruises for the amount of this one.

Yes, NCL is definitely pushing for higher prices.

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A Three-Story Racetrack, Food Hall, and Infinity Pools: Inside the Norwegian Prima

Spoiler alert: the Prima lives up to the hype

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Lounges and Decks

Entertainment, where to eat and drink, recreational attractions, the verdict.

When Norwegian Cruise Line invited me on an eight-night, inaugural voyage on board the Norwegian Prima, the cruise line's first in a new class of six ships, it took me all of five minutes to respond with a resounding "yes."

Brimming with firsts , the Prima Class takes cruising to a whole other level: A three-level go-kart race track? Check. An open-air food hall? Check. A pickleball court? Check. With the Prima setting sail from Reykjavik on Aug. 26 and landing in Amsterdam on Sept. 3, I had plenty of time to take advantage of all the cool things the ship had to offer and see if it lived up to expectations (spoiler alert: it did).

From where to eat and drink to the top things to do, here's everything you need to know about cruising on Norwegian Prima.

Courtesy of Norwegian Prima

The Prima's inside, oceanview, and balcony staterooms are larger than those in the cruise line's previous ship classes, and, while I admittedly haven't been on many cruises, mine was the nicest I've ever stayed in. We were placed in a "Family Balcony" stateroom, a 231-square-foot space that can sleep up to four guests with its double sofa bed and couch that can be converted into two lower beds.

There was more storage in our room than in any other hotels we stayed at before and after the cruise—particularly in the bathroom, which featured five shelves, a drawer, and a cabinet underneath the sink. Plus, the room had several outlets where we could charge our phones, laptops, and iPads, with the two bedside lamps offering additional slots for USB C and USB cords.

The balcony, which comes with two chairs, offers lovely views of the ocean and port destinations (I was sailing through the Netherlands' waterways as I wrote this), and can be a peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of a busy ship. Since we were on the 15th floor, it was possible to hear the buzzing of the go-karts racing two levels above us; however, we were able to shut out the sounds by closing the door to our balcony.

For solo travelers, the Prima also offers studio rooms with full-size beds, a separate bathroom, and exclusive access to a Studio Lounge where you can meet other people. The best part? They're priced for those cruising by themselves, so no single supplement is required.

Elizabeth Preske

As previously reported by TripSavvy , the Prima's pool deck boasts more space than any earlier NCL ships. On the main pool deck, passengers can swim in the pool, ride a tidal wave waterslide, or relax in one of two infinity hot tubs. The sun deck, too, offers plenty of chaise lounges. For a more secluded retreat, passengers 18 and up can purchase a pass to the Vibe Beach Club (seven-day passes start at $229), which comes with its own bar, two other infinity hot tubs, and private cabanas.

While cool temps and strong winds kept most of us from adequately enjoying the upper decks—located on the 17th to 19th levels—they do line up next to some of the other onboard attractions, including The Wave, Kids' Aqua Park, and Prima Speedway, and could be potentially noisy on a hot day. If you're keeping a close eye on your kids, these are great spots to hang out and catch some rays; however, I preferred La Terraza on the 8th level, where there are equally comfy chairs in a much more intimate setting, as well as binoculars for wildlife spotting.

Also on the 8th level are two infinity pools at the twin Infinity Beaches, situated on the port and starboard sides of the ship and offering stunning ocean views. Because they're both adjacent to The Drop and The Rush landing areas, though, these areas can also be busy.

When the weather is less than ideal, there are a few indoor spaces where you can post up in. There's the Observation Lounge, which affords scenic views from the ship's bow, and the Internet Café, located next to Starbucks and a popular place for those WFC.

The three-level Prima Theater & Club is where you'll find the biggest events of the cruise, including concerts, musicals, and game shows. During the inaugural cruise, the theater put on "The Price Is Right Live" and "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical," both fun and incredibly engaging.

At "The Price Is Right," a live version of TV's longest-running game show, passengers are invited to "come on down" to the stage and compete for a chance at spinning the big wheel. The show I was at was staged (all the winnings went to charity, and the showcase showdown saw global pop star Katy Perry, the Prima's godmother, up against Marcia Del Rio, wife of Norwegian Holdings Ltd. President and CEO Frank J. Del Rio), but during a regular cruise, anyone in the theater could be called down to place bids and win prizes.

The Tony-nominated "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" Broadway show—which tells the story of the Disco Queen's rise to fame and the inspiration behind her biggest hits like "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls," and "She Works Hard for the Money"—was the Prima's headlining show. The trio of actresses playing Summer in three critical stages of her life—with D'Nasya Jordan as Duckling Donna, Valerie Curlingford as Disco Donna, and "American Idol" season two finalist Kimberley Locke as Diva Donna—are all remarkably talented, making the musical an utter sensation.

After the last show, crew members usher everyone out to fully retract the seats, transforming (in 15 minutes, no less) the theater into a full-on nightclub, complete with two bars and booth-style seating. Most nights of the inaugural cruise, it was Studio 54-themed—a perfect way to end the day after bopping our heads to disco beats at "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical."

In addition to the Prima Theater & Club, the ship features other venues where you can catch a show. The pub-style Syd Norman's Pour House is a popular place to grab a beer and listen to live music, with the house band's performance of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" album from start to finish a major highlight of the week. At The Improv at Sea, passengers can watch stand-up comedy in an intimate space reminiscent of a New York City improv theater.

Norwegian Cruise Line's food and beverage offerings set the cruise brand apart. With 18 dining venues on the ship, the Prima's culinary options are just as much a part of the cruise experience as its big-time attractions.

Indulge Food Hall

Food Hall has 11 different eateries that you can sample—including The Latin Quarter, which serves up totopos and crab tostada, and Tamara, where you can try Indian-inspired dishes such as chicken korma and urad dal. Unlike your average food hall, you can sit (almost) anywhere and order as many things as you want from a table-top kiosk with just a few simple taps. (If you sit at an eatery's bar seating, you can only order food from that particular vendor.)

The plates were small, which was great for sharing and meant we could try five or six dishes without feeling too stuffed. (I highly recommend Nudls' spaetzle, available at lunch, and its pesto gnocchi, which you can have for dinner.) Most of the dishes are included in the cost of the cruise, too, except for sweets shop Coco's—where I ordered dulce de leche crêpes and a fudgy s'mores sundae the size of my head in celebration of my mom's birthday—and drinks at Luna Bar.

We ran into technical difficulties with the kiosks when we placed an order, and it didn't go through, but crew members quickly sorted out the issue.

Main Dining Rooms

The Prima has two complimentary main dining rooms—Hudson's and The Commodore Room—open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Both offer the same menu, which is the same every day but is more expansive than what you would find in a traditional cruise dining hall. Here, you can order everything from small bites, soups, and salads to make-your-own pasta, pork chops, and rotisserie chicken.

Because I ate at Hudson's more than any other eatery onboard, I got to sample a good portion of the menu. While you can't go wrong with the "knife and fork" short rib (slow-braised beef, Guinness dark beer sauce, grilled asparagus), it was the seafood dishes that completely stole the show: mini crab cakes, California roll, and seafood paella (bomba rice, shrimp, sea bass, mussels, clams, and sofrito).

Although the menus stay the same daily, there is a rotating "signature taste"—a popular dish borrowed from one of the specialty restaurants—that you can purchase should you want to try something new.

Specialty Dining

If you're eager to mix things up, the Prima offers eight specialty restaurants you can dine at, including Cagney's Steakhouse, Nama Sushi & Sashimi, and Palomar, NCL's first Mediterranean seafood restaurant. The specialty restaurants were, unfortunately, not open for reservations on my cruise. However, I did get a chance to have dinner at Food Republic. Like Indulge Food Hall, it's a casual, fusion eatery where you can order a smattering of bites from a table-side kiosk. However, unlike Indulge Food Hall, the portions are much more substantial. I tried a bunch of different Asian dishes—including pork belly bao, a volcano roll, and ramen with BBQ pork belly—but they also offer Peruvian beef skewers, Mexican street corn, and Belgian waffles if you want to go on a culinary tour of the world. My personal favorite? The green tea jar, made with chocolate brownie, green tea mousse, chocolate crumble, and ganache—you won't regret it!

Surfside Café & Grill

Surfside Café & Grill is your classic cruise buffet. For speed and convenience, it became my go-to for pre-shore excursion meals and disembarkment day. It had everything you could want for breakfast: make-your-own omelets, French toast, eggs Benedict, muesli, oatmeal with all the fixings, bacon, pastries, fresh fruit, fresh juice, and tea and coffee.

I went here a couple of times for lunch, too, with one of those times falling on "Seafood Extravaganza" day. What looked like literal tons of shellfish were being unloaded by the pound and claw, and we could gorge on shrimp cocktail, lobster, and crab to our hearts' content. Being from the Midwest, where seafood can be found in the frozen section of the local grocery store, I found the whole experience slightly intimidating (how do I crack a lobster claw?), but it was all in good fun.

The Local Bar & Grill

The Local isn't open just for live music and drinks. It also offers pub fare and other comfort foods—think beer-battered cod sandwiches, Coney Island-style hot dogs, fettuccine carbonara, and blue cheese burgers. It was the only restaurant open in the interim between lunch and dinner, so it made for a great post-shore excursion meal.

You'll never want for a cocktail or glass of wine on the Prima. While you can grab a drink at any of the ship's theaters, clubs, restaurants, and decks, a handful of dedicated bars onboard offer something unique, from the fine selection of whiskeys at the aptly named Whiskey Bar to the crafted bottled cocktails at Belvedere Bar.

I quickly fell in love with Metropolitan, where bartenders serve up sustainable cocktails using ingredients sourced straight from Prima's kitchen. Like the Watermelon Twist, a spicy margarita concocted with watermelon rind cordial, and the Croissant Mai-Tai, whose day-old croissants were the star ingredient. But you don't have to go to Metropolitan to try one of these specialty cocktails; some of the other restaurants, including Indulge Food Hall and Hudson's, offer a rotating "day of the week" cocktail, giving passengers a chance to sample Metropolitan from anywhere on the ship.

From a three-level go-kart race track to free-fall slides and pickleball at sea, Norwegian Prima's exciting new attractions will keep you entertained all cruise long.

Galaxy Pavilion

Pegged as the first flying theater simulator at sea, Galaxy Pavilion is available on other Norwegian ships. Still, this newest iteration is better than all the rest, with 14 VR games, including two Escape Rooms and a Topgolf Swing Suite exclusive to Norwegian. As someone who gets quickly motion-sick, there were a few games, like the roller coaster simulation, that rocked and jolted a little too much for my liking—but others were safe alternatives and super fun. I loved the VR spin on DDR, where, with the help of on-screen prompts, I moved my arms to the beat of "Shake It Off" (the crew member who taught me how to play said it's for kids, but I disagree), as well as a zombie shooter game, hidden inside a 7D "Dark Room" (admittedly scary, though entertaining).

To play, it's $8 à la carte and $29 for a one-hour unlimited package. Ultimate Galaxy packages, the weeklong, all-you-can-play pass, are available for $199. The Escape Rooms are an additional $15 per person.

Prima Speedway

The race track ended up being one of my favorite attractions on the ship. While go-kart race tracks aren't new to NCL, this particular track is the first-ever three-level race track at sea, and it's 22 percent larger than the one on NCL's Encore. With a 1,400-foot track and 14 turns, the electric-powered go-karts travel can travel up to 27 miles per hour on the competitive, shared-rider experience ($15 per ride) and up to 40 mph on the "You And The Track" single-rider experience ($20 per ride).

I opted for the former, repeatedly pressing the green "turbo boost" button to try and overtake the others, and completed seven laps. Not bad for a first go-around. For those eager to take multiple turns around the track—and try to win first-place bragging rights—Norwegian will also offer an all-you-can-ride pass valid throughout your cruise ($199; does not include "You And The Track").

Tee Time & The Bull's Eye

Tee Time, the Prima's nine-hole mini-golf course, takes regular mini-golf up a notch by introducing interactive technology—think a pre-tee selfie at the 8th hole—and a chance to win the ultimate grand prize: a free cruise. Plus, there's tech that tracks the ball and automatically keeps score for you (re: no cheating allowed). It costs $10 to play.

Adjacent to Tee Time is The Bull's Eye, where you can play a round or two of darts with up to six people. Tickets are $40 for 50 minutes of play.

The Stadium

The Stadium is essentially the Prima's outdoor game room, where you can play several games— including subsoccer, beer pong, foosball, and tabletop shuffleboard—for free. There's also what I liked to call "wacky ping pong," which was like a tabletop version of racquetball, with a circular (as opposed to flat) table causing the ping ball to ricochet every which way.

As a former tennis player, the highlight of The Stadium was the pickleball court, enclosed in a cage to prevent cruisers from accidentally thwacking the polymer ball off the side of the ship. I heard it was one of the ship's more popular attractions and got rather busy, so I was fortunate to play a few rounds without waiting. (My advice? Make a beeline for the court on the first day, when people are still boarding and exploring the ship.) It was really fun, and I can now understand the big pickleball hype.

The Drop, The Rush, and The Wave

Look at an exterior shot of the Norwegian Prima, and you're bound to notice The Drop and The Rush, a series of 10-story-tall slides that spiral down the ship's sides. The Drop is what Norwegian says is the world's first free-fall slide, in which riders are comfortably set up in a capsule before the floor drops beneath them. On the opposite side of the Prima is The Rush, which comprises dueling slides perfectly set up for a race down to the 8th level. On a hot, sunny day, riders can also check out The Wave, NCL's first tidal wave water slide.

While it was too cold to test out The Wave, I gave both dry slides a whirl—and had a total blast. If you're afraid of heights, rest assured that the slides are much less intimidating than they appear, particularly The Drop: After that initial rush, the clear plastic tubing slows you considerably. All slides are free to ride.

Mandara Spa

If you want to treat yourself, you can choose from several wellness and beauty treatments at Mandara Spa, which offers everything from seaweed massages, stone therapy, and salt scrubs to mani-pedis and nutritional consultations.

I got a day pass to the Thermal Suite, which features salt and freshwater pools and a mix of saunas, ice rooms, and steam rooms you can bounce between. After sweating and shivering for an hour and a half, I wound up in the Thermal Lounge, with heated ceramic loungers that accumulate heat the longer you sit in them. I never wanted to leave.

Oceanwalk and The Concourse

Located on the 8th level is the glass-floored Oceanwalk, where you can look straight down and see the waves crashing underneath your feet. On the ship's starboard side, the Oceanwalk gives way to The Concourse, an outdoor sculpture garden filled with six works of art by West Palm Beach-based artist Alexander Krivosheiw. Be sure to swing by at night when Krivosheiw's "Sacred Trinity" sculpture, made of mirror-polished stainless steel and integrated with NeonFlex L.E.D. lighting, glows in alternating colors of purples, pinks, and blues.

The Haven is Norwegian Prima's ship-within-a-ship concept, an exclusive section open only to guests who've booked one of 107 ultra-luxurious Haven suites. Guests with the means (rooms start at $3,749 per person) will get the five-star treatment, with access to a private sundeck featuring an infinity pool, sauna, and cold room; The Haven Restaurant, an additional main dining room that serves gourmet dishes like lobster bisque and beef burgers with triple crème brie; and The Haven Lounge & Bar. To top it all off, Haven guests will be extra-pampered by a 24-hour butler, concierge service, private elevators, and VIP seating at the Prima Theater & Club.

With several industry firsts—a three-level race track at sea, a food hall boasting 11 different vendors, and an onboard sculpture garden—the Norwegian Prima promises an action-packed experience that will have you oohing and ahhing from the moment you step foot on board. The staterooms are comfortable and chic, with enough storage to stow your clothes, toiletries, and other travel items for a week. And, thanks to a wide variety of culinary options on board, you'll never grow tired of sampling all of the Prima's different flavors.

However, if you plan to stick to only the activities and restaurants included in the cruise cost, Norwegian Prima may not be for you. You'll not get the whole experience by skipping most, if not all, of the Prima's big-name attractions, and you may grow tired of seeing the same menu offerings at the complimentary eateries every day of the cruise. But, if you're open to spending extra—whether it's an hourly pass at Galaxy Pavilion or a weeklong "all-you-can-ride" package at Prima Speedway—you'll find that the Norwegian Prima is well worth it.

Although the inaugural cruise set sail from Northern Europe, Norwegian Prima will be cruising to the Caribbean from New York ; Galveston, Texas; and Miami in October before settling in for the 2023 and 2024 cruise season in Port Canaveral, Florida, and Galveston.

Cruises onboard the Prima start at $829 a person.

Norwegian Cruise Line. " Activities. " Accessed Sept. 22, 2022.

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Norwegian Cruise Line Review: The Prima

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To celebrate a milestone birthday for me and an anniversary for my parents, the three of us took a cruise on Norwegian Prima, the first in what Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) says will be a “new class of ships designed to elevate every expectation.”

I had cruised NCL three times before and was a silver member of the Latitudes rewards program when I booked.

After 12 nights on the Prima going from London to Barcelona via several stops in France, Portugal and Spain, we discovered there was a lot to like about the ship, but there were also several quirks.

» Learn more: The complete guide to Norwegian Cruise Line

Booking the trip

My family chose this ship and cruise line because of a great itinerary. There were a variety of port stops as well as a day at sea for some relaxing and recharging. As it turns out, one of the port stops we were looking forward to was changed. A few weeks before the cruise, NCL replaced a stop in Porto, Portugal, with one in Vigo, Spain.

Booking can be a bit of a game since cruise lines always seem to have sales and offers they say are for a limited time. On NCL’s site, there’s often a countdown clock showing how long a particular offer will last.

It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy, but it’s important to make sure the deal works for you.

On our booking, we had NCL’s Free at Sea offer, which includes perks such as a “free unlimited open bar” and specialty dining. Here’s the catch: The free open bar isn’t exactly free, and neither is the specialty dining. You have to pay 20% gratuity on what NCL says is the value of the package.

So, for example, an upcoming cruise on the Prima — a seven-day trip from Galveston, Texas, to the Caribbean in February — is about $2,400 per balcony cabin (with two people). Then you add on gratuities for the open bar at $305 and specialty dining of about $40. You’re paying $345 in gratuities for the “free” stuff.

So, if you’re not much of a drinker, you might want to consider declining the free open bar and just ordering and paying for drinks as you want them. That drops that charge for gratuities off your total cruise cost.

I chose to upgrade my package to NCL’s Free at Sea Plus because I needed unlimited Wi-Fi and wanted to have water and Starbucks drinks included as part of my drink package. Those are part of the upgraded package but not part of the basic one. With the upgrade, I also ended up with two more meals in specialty dining restaurants.

After looking at the non-suite cabin types, which include inside cabins, outside cabins with just a window, and balcony cabins, we booked two balcony cabins on deck 12 midship. I need fresh air, and I love the sounds the ocean makes when we’re at sea.

Keep checking on the rates until you make your final payment. If they drop, you can sometimes take advantage of a better deal by modifying the booking.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Online check-in

After booking, it’s time to start planning. Through the NCL website, you can look at and book shore excursions and some specialty dining reservations and entertainment reservations.

Exactly 21 days before sailing, you can check in and will likely receive an email telling you to do so.

To check in online, you’ll need your passport and a credit card to put on file for anything you purchase on board. You’ll also need a photo of your face to upload for security purposes. I had some issues doing this because the photo I tried to use did not meet the parameters, but if the upload doesn’t work, an employee can take a photo at the pier.

During check-in, be ready to pick a time when you want to arrive at the port to get on board. Time slots began as early as about 9:30 a.m. and continued for a few hours.

About a day after filling everything out, you can go in and download the eDocs, which serve as your boarding pass. You’ll need either a printed or mobile copy to show at the embarkation point.

One more thing about check-in: Each piece of luggage you want the porters at the pier to deliver on board to your stateroom needs a luggage tag. If you want personal tags that are pre-populated with your name and stateroom number, you must print them at home.

The button to print them wasn’t obvious, so I had to look for it a bit.

Embarkation

Boarding area/Southampton. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Our cruise was leaving from Southampton, England, a short ride from London, where we had spent a few days. I always arrive at least one or two days before a cruise leaves to give myself some cushion in case a flight is delayed or there is another travel issue.

When I was checking in, I chose a 12:30 p.m. embarkation time because I didn’t feel the need to arrive super early, and cabins usually aren’t ready until at least 1 p.m. anyway. I hate dragging my hand luggage around a busy ship with me.

When we arrived, there wasn’t much of a line, and what was there moved quickly. We handed off our checked luggage to the porters, who put it in a giant pile to eventually go on the ship.

I always take a photo of my bag before I leave it behind so I know what it looks like and how to describe it in case it gets lost.

After a security check and a brief health questionnaire, we were on board and heading to lunch with our carry-on luggage in tow.

» Learn more: How much luggage can you take on a cruise?

The Prima’s atrium. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The Norwegian Prima was built in 2022 and has a capacity of 3,099 guests at double occupancy and 1,506 crew members.

The Prima docked in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The Prima looks a bit different than other NCL ships I had been on in that it is more understated elegance than in-your-face opulence. There were many decorative touches I wouldn’t mind having in my house.

There are two main sets of elevators on the ship, one midship and another forward. A third set is available only to guests who are staying in The Haven , an exclusive area with a private concierge, butler, restaurant, bar, lounge, pool and other perks.

The Haven private area. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

You can look at the triangles on the carpet on the decks with cabins to know which way is forward and which is aft. The triangles face forward.

The triangles on the carpet face forward. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

NCL loyalists know the carpets on other ships have fish, which are always swimming forward. On the Prima, triangles replace the fish to help orient passengers.

Deck 8 with a small pool and seating areas. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Another big difference on this ship versus others with NCL is the pool deck. It’s near the back of the ship on deck 17, and it’s small compared to other ships, where the pool area takes up the majority of a deck.

Splash park. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

There is an aqua park for kids, a waterslide and a few hot tubs and smaller pools and lounging areas on other decks, but no one large gathering place for water and sun fun.

Infinity pool. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Balcony cabin. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

I had a balcony cabin on deck 12 fairly close to the midship elevators. It was somewhere between 231 and 358 square feet with a balcony between 45 and 69 square feet.

The cabin seemed very spacious because the bed was by the balcony, which left a big open space in the cabin. While this was nice, anyone sleeping next to the balcony would have a difficult time getting out of bed without hitting the sliding glass door or the bed.

Hooks on the wall. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

There was a ton of storage both in the cabin and in the bathroom and hooks to hang things on.

One problem for me was that the safe was not big enough for my laptop. On a new ship, this surprised me. I also didn’t like the fact the bed didn’t have a bed skirt and I was always looking at my empty luggage I stored under the bed.

One plus, though, is there were several plugs and USB connections throughout the cabin, including in the bedside lamp so I could plug my phone in near my bed.

Lamp with USB charging ports. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

One problem my parents noticed, though, is there was only one electrical plug near the bed, which could be a problem for people with sleeping machines or anyone else vying for power.

Bathroom. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The bathroom had a lot of space and a walk-in shower.

Balcony. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The balcony had two comfortable chairs and a small table.

Cabin service is once a day, which means no turndown service or towel animals, but you can call the cabin steward if you need anything. Each evening, the steward delivers the Freestyle Daily, which is a printed copy of the next day’s activities and offers.

An electronic panel near the door allows you to turn on a light outside the door telling the steward to make up the room or “Do not disturb.” The same panel controls the temperature. It was nice to have an AC system that actually responded. When I turned the AC down, it actually got cooler in the cabin.

Food and drinks

Norwegian touts its Freestyle Dining as a way to have freedom and flexibility about where and when you eat. There are no set dining times, and while that sounds great, you can’t just walk up and go wherever you want.

I don’t love the idea of having to think ahead about where and when I want to eat when I am on vacation, but I made a reservation for each night so I had somewhere to go.

You can make reservations for specialty dining venues and the main dining rooms before embarkation and while on board at either a dining desk or on the TV system in the room. The TV system allows you to make a reservation, but not cancel one, so I had to wait in the dining desk line anyway.

Only a small percentage of specialty dining reservations are available before getting on board so it seemed like everything was booked. It wasn’t. Once passengers are on board, the remaining reservations open up.

With a reservation, the dining venue holds your space for 15 minutes and then gives up your table, which we learned the hard way one night when we arrived late. Our table was gone, forcing us to wait about 45 minutes for another one.

The Prima has a combination of complimentary and specialty dining, and I did both.

The two main dining rooms, Hudson’s and The Commodore Room, are the free options. They had the same menu, which changed nightly, and the food was good. The menu was a combination of starters, mains and desserts, and you could order whatever you wanted.

They were open at different times, with one also serving breakfast and lunch in addition to dinner.

The breakfast menu at The Local. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The Local Bar & Grill was open almost all day and had pub-like food. We went there often for breakfast and lunch.

Outside the Indulge Food Hall. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

My favorite was Indulge Food Hall with its take on a food truck rally.

Food stations in Indulge. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

There were several stations, some even looking like food trucks.

Tablet ordering system (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Ordering was done on a tablet that had photos of all the items, and a server delivered the food to your table.

The variety was great since there were several stations like Indian, BBQ, Mexican, Asian, Spanish tapas and more. The dates wrapped in bacon with blue cheese and the guacamole were my favorites.

Then there was the buffet, the Surfside Cafe & Grill, which was tremendously undersized, always incredibly busy and without enough seating options. While the food was good, the traffic flow was not, and once you had your food in hand, finding a place to eat it was not easy. For breakfast one morning, I balanced my plate on the waitstaff’s cleaning area and ate there.

Now, for the specialty dining options, the Prima has eight where the food and presentation are elevated.

For this 12-night cruise, the Free at Sea package included three meals at specialty dining venues. Additional meals were available as an upgrade — $99 for two more, $139 for three more, and $30 more for each additional meal you wanted after that. The upgrades are per person, so you cannot buy a two-meal package and share it with another person, giving each of you one additional meal.

At most of the venues, the package included a starter, a soup or salad, a main dish and a dessert. If you choose to dine at a specialty restaurant without a package, the pricing is à la carte, with entrees about $40 and appetizers about $20. So if you know you want to dine at many specialty restaurants, the package upgrades are a good deal.

Outside a specialty restaurant. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

I ate at Cagney's Steakhouse, Hasuki for teppanyaki, Le Bistro for French cuisine and Palomar for seafood. The food at all of the specialty restaurants was wonderful, and I was definitely stuffed afterward.

Room service is available 24 hours a day but has an extra cost.

Bar. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The Prima has several bars and lounges scattered throughout the ship. Each had a slightly different feel, from The Local Bar & Grill with its huge TVs, beers on tap and bar food to the aft-facing outdoor Soleil Bar and Indulge Outdoor Lounge with comfy chairs, hammocks and cabanas.

The Starbucks on deck 7 in the main atrium. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

There are even two Starbucks locations that serve up all of the favorites you can find on land.

The Starbucks inside Indulge Food Hall. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Starbucks was part of my upgraded drinks package, so I ordered a lot of the things I had been wanting to try but hadn’t wanted to spend the money on in case I didn’t like them.

Entertainment

You may be used to lots of entertainment in the form of singing and dancing on cruise ships, but the Prima doesn’t have a lot of it. If you like game shows and smaller venues for comedy and music, as well as thrills like go-karts, slides and escape rooms, this ship is for you.

“Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” was the only musical production show on the ship and was offered on two nights of the cruise. It was in the main theater, a venue that transformed into a dance club and other things throughout the cruise. Reservations were required, and people started lining up about a half-hour before the show began, since the theater is relatively small for the size of the ship.

A house band often performed in the main atrium area, but there wasn’t much room for large groups to gather and enjoy it. There was also a DJ who rotated between a few locations.

“The Price is Right” in the Prima Theater. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The theater also had game shows like “Deal or No Deal” and “The Price is Right,” which had high production value and audience participation.

The exterior of Syd Norman’s. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Smaller venues like Syd Norman’s Pour House were often packed and rocking.

The upper decks had lots of mostly daytime entertainment options, especially deck 18.

Taking up part of decks 18, 19 and 20 was the Prima Speedway, a racetrack where, for $15, you can zoom around and race others. Sometimes, you could hear the sound of the cars from other decks.

The slides. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Deck 18 also has high-tech mini-golf and darts, as well as the starting points for the two slides, The Drop and The Rush.

Because this cruise was so port-intensive, I didn’t take part in any of the entertainment because all I wanted to do after a day of touring was eat dinner and go to sleep. My parents went to see “The Donna Summer Musical” and “The Price is Right” and thought both were entertaining.

Spa and gym

The entrance of the spa. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

A highlight of the Prima is the Mandara Spa & Salon. It’s huge and beautiful.

Therapy pools with a two-story waterfall. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

To access most of what it offers, including the saunas, pools, salt room, steam rooms and heated loungers in relaxation rooms, you need to buy a pass either for a day or a full voyage.

Salt room. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The number of available passes varies based on the length of the cruise. For this cruise, the pass cost $399 for the full voyage or $99 for a day.

Relaxation room. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Having a spa treatment like a massage does not allow you access to the thermal suite. I had a nice treatment that included a body brush and massage.

If you’re not picky about the treatment you want or when you want it, keep an eye on the Freestyle Daily. During my cruise, the price of specially curated 75-minute treatments went from about $199 down to $139 toward the end of the cruise.

Cardio equipment. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

The Pulse Fitness Center is also large with lots of weights and machines, as well as cardio equipment that faces the bow, giving exercisers a great view while working out. Access is free. Let’s just say I went in only to take a few photos.

The Norwegian app is available to download on mobile devices and is the place to keep track of things like dining times, activities and expenses. To use it on board, you don't have to pay for Wi-Fi, but you do have to be on the ship’s Wi-Fi network.

The Free at Sea package included 300 minutes of Wi-Fi for this entire 12-night cruise, meaning I had to remember to log off to keep from using minutes. My father quickly learned logging off was not the same as just turning off the Wi-Fi on his device after a bunch of his allotted minutes went away fairly quickly when he wasn’t doing anything.

As part of my upgraded Free at Sea Plus package, I had unlimited Wi-Fi, which wasn’t exactly speedy but allowed me to do what I needed, like check and send emails, upload photos and look at social media.

Off the ship

For me, European or other destination cruises are different from Caribbean cruises in that I spend most of my time off the ship. The ship is basically for eating and sleeping.

The ship had a small shore excursion desk where the staff mostly sold ship-sponsored excursions and offered limited information about the ports themselves.

On this trip, I did one ship-sponsored shore excursion to Normandy and the D-Day beaches, which was on the first day. My Latitudes status gave me a 10% discount on the tour itself, and the Free at Sea perk gave me $50 in onboard credit after completing the excursion.

My shore excursion ticket was in my room when I first got into my cabin, and it told me when to meet in the theater. At the specified time, someone called the number of the tour, and I went to the front of the theater to get a sticker with a group number on it and got off the ship.

Soon I was on my way for a daylong tour on a large and full bus. I returned to the ship in plenty of time to shower and get ready for dinner.

For two tours in Granada and Seville, Spain, I joined a small group using a private tour company. I liked the smaller tours and saved some money because they were a bit cheaper than the ship’s tours.

My slight disappointment came in the ports where I had nothing planned. The shore excursion desk didn’t have much information about the ports themselves or what was available.

In Ibiza, I decided to take the $20 ship-sponsored shuttle bus into the center of town. But instead of a drop-off in the city center, the bus stopped in the middle of a road about a 15-minute walk from anything.

In Valencia, several passengers were looking for the hop-on-hop-off bus stop, but nobody could help us find it. Overall, I would have liked a bit more information about the ports from the shore excursion desk.

In all ports, the disembarkation process was smooth and simple. I just had to tap my ship’s card to sign out, and when I returned, I had to go through security like in an airport and tap my card again.

Disembarkation

A couple of days before the cruise ended, I had to choose a disembarkation time and collect appropriate luggage tags from the guest services area.

The earliest time was for people who wanted to take all of their luggage off the ship themselves.

The other times were based on flight time and whether people had a ship-sponsored tour of the city.

I selected 8:45 a.m. because I was staying in Barcelona for a few days and had nowhere to be and no time I had to be there.

Each time had a corresponding color-coded luggage tag. I put the purple tag on my suitcase and left the bag outside my cabin door for the stewards to gather and take off the ship. Again, take a photo of your bag sitting in front of your cabin in case it goes missing.

The Prima was scheduled to dock in Barcelona at 5 a.m., and disembarkation was set to begin as soon as local authorities cleared the ship.

Announcements began at about 5:45 a.m. and continued about every 15 minutes after that.

After a breakfast in the crazy-crowded buffet and one final check of the cabin (which I evidently didn’t do well enough because I left a pair of my good compression socks in one of the drawers), I dragged my carry-on luggage through the hallways and off the ship.

Large crowd in the disembarkation area in Barcelona. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Claiming our checked bags was a disaster. The 8:45 a.m. time slot was last call, so everyone who was still on the ship had to get off. This led to hundreds of people filing down escalators and into a small area where luggage was coming by on a moving belt one suitcase at a time.

This seemed to be more of a port facility issue and not something the ship’s staff could have done anything about except to maybe hold people on the ship for a bit instead of having them disembark into an already crowded area.

Lots of people in a small space got really hot and disorganized, but soon my parents and I had our luggage and were out the door and into a taxi.

People were already lined up to board the Prima for the next cruise. They were ready to get their vacation started.

Overall observations

Ocean Boulevard on deck 8. (Photo by Tiffani Sherman)

Overall, I had a great time on the Norwegian Prima. It had tons of outdoor spaces, but not many large spaces for people to gather. I thought the decor was beautiful and slightly upscale.

The crew was amazing, and after just a few days, the ladies at Starbucks were calling me by my first name when I approached the counter. Most crew members usually had a smile on their face and were willing to help.

I enjoyed too much good food in the free and specialty restaurants and did not spend nearly enough time in the gym or spa.

I didn’t miss the lack of entertainment options because I was spending most of my time either in port, eating or sleeping.

Speaking of sleeping, the beds were amazingly comfortable and the cabin was nicely furnished with plenty of room and storage.

The best part was spending time with my parents and making memories. Cruising is a great way to do that because there are a variety of activities and options available, and everyone does not need to be together all the time.

I’d definitely sail again on the Prima and her almost identical twin, Viva , which debuted in 2023.

(Top photo courtesy of Tiffani Sherman)

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Norwegian Prima Review and Photos

Theresa Russell was invited to join Norwegian Prima’s inaugural sailing from Iceland . Read on for Theresa’s comprehensive Norwegian Prima review, along with her quirky sense of humor.

As early renderings of the ship Norwegian Prima were revealed, my anticipation to sail and write a Norwegian Prima review grew stronger. There were many innovative enhancements added to this latest ship in NCL’s fleet and I was excited to see the finished product.

I have sailed on all of the NCL ships except for Sky, so I am quite familiar with the brand and ships’ layouts. Or so I thought.

Norwegian Prima Review

When I took my first step onto Prima , I was taken aback. Nothing seemed familiar to me at all. I couldn’t get my bearings and felt like a fish out of water.

And speaking of fish, why did I not see them swimming on the carpets? I counted on these fish to help me find my way to the front of the ship. They abandoned me. Keep reading for more on that later. 

In This Post...

Norwegian Prima – Fast Facts

Year Built: 2022 Weight: 142,500 GT Decks: 20 Passengers at Double Occupancy: 3100 Crew: 1506 Total staterooms: 1586

READ MORE:  Norwegian Prima Inaugural U.S. Voyage from New York

First impressions.

I entered the ship at the Penrose Atrium. Dumbfounded by the view, I stood for a few minutes just a bit disoriented.

The large, open and bright 3-story Penrose Atrium differed immensely from other Norwegian ships. My smugness about knowing NCL so well, waned. 

I realized that not only was the décor different on Prima , but also the layout. So much for thinking that I could quickly figure out this ship.

Balcony Stateroom Review 

Anxious to get to my balcony stateroom #15770, my intent was to drop my carry-on, grab a bite to eat and explore the new ship.

On this ship, there are only two sets of elevators in the fore and aft. Reaching my deck, I used the convenient directional signs to find my stateroom. 

I closely examined the attractive carpet and bemoaned the absence of fish pointing forward. Instead of the usual fish, they were replaced by large triangles that pointed forward.

Couldn’t these triangles have been made to look like a Picasso-type fish? Just a thought. At least I figured out my new directional guide star.

My midship cabin was ready and waiting for me. I dropped my carry-on luggage there and explored the room. My eyes were immediately drawn to the bed without a bedskirt.

The open space underneath the bed gave the room a modern look. It also made the space appear larger.

On this ship, the balcony cabins have the beds near the balcony. This layout is done with much forethought.

Want to book an aft balcony? Not on Norwegian Prima. Why? It’s because the Haven takes up the aft part of the ship with its 107 staterooms. 

One of the designers that I chatted with explained the layout. Like at home, you come to the living area first. 

The sleeping area is farther away. It certainly makes sense, but I don’t know if I agree.

The stateroom is fairly typical with two lower beds that convert to a queen. My family balcony cabin also had a convertible sleeper sofa.

Noticeable Prima Stateroom Interior Differences

What I immediately noticed was the lack of a coffee table. Behind the bed and sofa is a feature wall, itself a large piece of artwork. 

Across from the sofa is a small desk with outlets and USB ports. The desk has a barrel-like stool with a handle.

I had plenty of closet space for myself, but wondered if there would be enough if sharing my room. It was difficult hanging longer items. 

The closet seems most efficient for hanging shorter garments, even with the lower rack moved. There are also several shelves and room in the night stands.

Furnished with two chairs and a small table, the balcony is about 45 square feet. It had adequate space for relaxing and enjoying the view.

The modern look of the room really adds a touch of luxury to the room. The bed was comfy, and the draperies were pretty good at blocking out light. 

As somebody who likes to sleep cool, I could never get the room cool enough. Other guests on this sailing had the opposite problem. They were cold all of the time. 

The Bathroom

With bursts of color on the backsplash, the bathroom seemed much bigger and more elegant than others. The walk-in shower was large and there was adequate storage space for toiletries. 

INSIDER TIP – Where the hand towel hangs on the vanity is also the handle for a drawer to stash more toiletries.

Two new dining concepts are found on Prima . The first is that the menu at the main dining rooms never changes. I was concerned about this until I realized that my favorite restaurant at home doesn’t change its menu daily, either.

The two main dining rooms are smaller than the MDR on other NCL ships. The Commodore Room and Hudson’s appear to be more in line with the size of Taste and Savor on other ships. 

Smaller main dining rooms could mean a longer wait time. Or maybe intended to get passengers to try the specialty restaurants or because so many guests choose specialty dining.

Specialty Restaurants on Norwegian Prima include:

• Palomar – Seafood with a Mediterranean influence
• Cagney’s Steakhouse – The cruise line’s famous steakhouse
• Onda by Scarpetta – Italian cuisine
• Los Lobos – Mexican food with an upscale attitude
• Food Republic –  Small plate entrées with an Asian flair
• Le Bistro – Norwegian’s signature French restaurant
• Hasuki – Teppanyaki restaurant – always popular so reserve early
• Nama Sushi – Elegant sushi bar with a wide selection

Most of the familiar specialty restaurants from other NCL ships are also on Prima . One that is missing is Moderno, the Brazilian all-you-can-eat steakhouse.

The second new and fun concept on Prima is Indulge Food Hall. 

What is Indulge Food Hall?

Indulge is a collection of 11 different types of restaurants all under one “roof”. I noticed some strong resemblances to restaurants on other ships.

Some, like Q Texas Smokehouse, retain their names. Their menus are similar to those found on other ships in the fleet. 

Others, like Tamara, with Indian cuisine, are new. It’s a fun spot to sample different foods.

The one real drawback is the limited seating. And where you sit is important.

How to Order Food at Indulge Food Hall

If you want to try something from several of the restaurants, find a seat in the middle of the chaos. Then use the tablet placed on your table to order. Menus from all of the restaurants will be found on those tablets. 

On the other hand, maybe you prefer to enjoy just one type of food. Find a seat at the venue’s counter or very nearby that particular restaurant. 

For example, I enjoyed the Indian food at Tamara. In fact, I ate there a few times, sitting at the counter.

In this case, the tablet only shows menu items from Tamara. Beverages are also shown on that tablet.

It was fun to watch the chef and the servers. Also, the food was quite tasty. 

Freshly made naan was not only delicious, but interesting to watch the process. With entertaining antics, the server also made eating at Tamara a mini-show event.

Besides Tamara and Q Texas Smokehouse, a barbecue favorite, there are nine more restaurants, 11 total.

All of the restaurants are complimentary with the exception of Coco and Starbucks. All have meatless options.

RELATED:  Compare – Norwegian Bliss Dining Guide

List of indulge food hall restaurants.

• Nudls – Serves all sorts of noodles. Don’t just think of Asian dishes. Pad Thai, tagliatelle and spaetzle are just a few of the noodles offered.
• Q Texas Roadhouse –  Like on other NCL ships, but without an extra charge. Menus include chili, bbq chicken, pulled pork and sides.
• Seaside Rotisserie –  With its many skewered meat options reminded me of Moderno. Chicken, brisket, and kabobs can be accompanied by a variety of sides.
• The Garden –  A variety of salads are available at The Garden. Soups, Spinach Caesar and Cobb are just a few of the choices.
• The Latin Quarter –  If you have a hankering for chips, guacamole or tostadas, look for the food truck. 
• Tapas –  Think jamon, chorizo and manchego. Perfect for a quick snack.
• Tamara –  Indian food lovers rejoice. Tamara serves many dishes including paneer, tikka masala, dosa and freshly made naan.
• Coco’s – Sundaes with Gummies or just a plain gelato. Milkshakes and other frozen treats and everything in between. Prices range from $3-$8.
• Just Ice Cream –  The name explains it all.
• Just Desserts –  More sweets.
• Starbucks –  Head for this Starbucks location if the line at the Starbucks in the main lobby is too long. There’s a fee here, too.

Indulge Food Hall is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

One old complimentary favorite has returned on Prima , The Local . It’s a pub-style restaurant, with an outdoor dining area. It’s a perfect spot to enjoy the good weather. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Prima Entertainment Main Production Review

NCL is known for its entertainment and the entertainment on Prima maintains a high standard.

The headline show is “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”. Exciting and insightful into her painful childhood into stardom.

With three different performers playing the part of Donna at different stages of her life, the show was full of music. 

This show a great combination of her mega-hits as well as a documentary of her life. 

This show lasts for about 75 minutes. If you are a Donna Summer fan, the show’s length of time was perfect. Audience sing-along and dancing are encouraged!

INSIDER TIP – Make your reservations for the shows, especially the comedy club and game shows as soon as possible. Improv at Sea, the comedy club, seats about 70 people so early reservations are necessary. 

If you can’t get a space, check regularly as cancellations do occur. Reservations are released 10 minutes before show time, so go and get in line and standby for unclaimed seats.

Another big show on Prima is “The Price is Right LIVE on NCL”. It is the real thing complete with the sets and games from the television show. Guests can actually win real prizes.

Smaller venues for music, a comedy club and a casino are other options for entertainment.

Outdoor Activities for All

The familiar race track at the top of the ship has a course that wraps around the funnels. Longer and narrower than on other ships, Norwegian Prima Speedway ($15 per ride) remains as popular as ever.

On that same deck (17), The Stadium is the spot for games, like ping pong, pickle ball and others. Opposite The Stadium, Tee Time($10 per person) is an interactive mini-golf.

Right next to Tee Time, Bull’s Eye ($40 for up to 6 people) offers private space in several parlor rooms to groups of players. An electronic board keeps track of dart throws.

Anybody looking for thrills should head to The Rush or The Drop. The Drop plunges riders down 10 decks at high speeds.

The Rush is a dueling dry slide. Thrill seekers can compete to make it to the bottom first.

The above are both dry slides, but water slide fans gravitate to The Wave. This slide has, as you may have guessed, wave action.

Other NCL ships include Galaxy Pavilion($8 per person, per experience.) I tried several different adventures there including a roller coaster. 

That made me wonder how many people get sick on the experiences. I kept my eyes closed for most of that ride.

Prima will have two escape rooms ($15 per person) on board. Due to supply issues, that option was not available on my sailing, but is coming soon. 

With all the arcade activities that come with fees, keep track of your kids’ (or your) spending. Be sure to limit – or not – which fee-based activities your child participates in.

I know of people shocked by their final bill. The two or three games parents allowed grew astronomically along with the bill. 

Insider Tip – If you want to enjoy the entertainment multiple times, consider purchasing a package.

Prima Speedway has a cruise-long pass for $199. Galaxy Pavilion has several starting with an hour pass for $29. A day pass there is $49 and a full cruise pass is $199.

If you want to combine activities, there is a combo pass that combines Prima Speedway, Bull’s Eye and Galaxy Pavilion for $399. All prices are subject to change

Outdoors Decks and Pools

One of my favorite activities on Prima is to grab a chair and enjoy the scenery from Ocean Boulevard. This outdoor deck includes Infinity Beach. With two small infinity pools on both sides of the ship, there are also plenty of chairs.

There is just one small main pool up on deck 17. For kids, their dedicated pool has plenty of seating for them and the adults supervising them. 

The Mandara Spa

Don’t expect the spa area to look like any of the spas on other ships. NCL has spared no expense in the design of Prima’s spa area. There are multiple treatment rooms for those with a spa pass.

The thermal suite area is much larger than on other ships. The expansive views of the outdoors is a real bonus. 

Here’s the absolutely gorgeous thermal pool. 

Spa passes are available for one day or the entire cruise. A day pass costs $99 just for the use of the spa area. Treatments are not included in this pass.

With the pass, you have unlimited access to all of the Thermal Suite features, including this amazing Salt Room. Breathe deep!

Insider Tip:  Consider buying a spa pass for your entire cruise for $399.

Pulse Fitness Center is accessed via the spa. This seemed odd as it required passing through the spa itself. 

Norwegian Prima Disembarkation 

With an early morning flight, I chose the self-assist option. It went quite smoothly. I used NCL’s transfer to the airport.

Final Thoughts – Norwegian Prima Review

When I first boarded, I found the décor of the ship taken to a much higher level. Not a big surprise as this was the vision for this class of ship. 

My favorite part of this ship, Ocean Boulevard, really connected me to the sea. Finding a seat was never a problem.

It’s refreshing to know that NCL maintains its Freestyle concept. I like dining when I wish and with whom I wish.

Besides the new features, NCL maintains its great kids’ club. 

The bright and comfortable buffet, now known as Seaside Café, is not as large as the Garden Café. Like other venues on Prima , it has a very modern vibe.

What I found most impressive about Prima was the high level of service. The crew served with a smile and anticipated my needs. 

It says much when a server who moves between restaurants recognizes you and greets you by name.

Prima will be based in Port Canaveral and Galveston. She will also sail Europe with transatlantic sailing before and after the Caribbean season.

The changes on Norwegian Prima were thoughtfully planned and well executed. Regular NCL cruisers will have fun comparing this new class of ships with others in the fleet.

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Norwegian Prima: Go Beyond Your Imagination on Our Newest Ship

Be the first. To see. To explore. To experience it all. We’re thrilled to share with you the name and the spectacular destinations of our newest and most innovative ship, Norwegian Prima. From first-class service that puts you first to the most outdoor space of any ship in our fleet, she will be the first of a new class of ships designed to elevate every expectation. Stay tuned and check back on NCL.com as we reveal even more exciting details on Wednesday, May 12.

Setting sail Summer 2022, Norwegian Prima will offer an unrivaled cruising experience as you explore the best of The Caribbean , Bermuda or Iceland & Northern Europe . Preview the itineraries below, so that you can be first to book when she opens for sale in just two days!

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Or choose to explore another slice of paradise with a Bermuda cruise . Pack your Bermuda shorts and set sail from New York City from March 2023 to May 2023 on a 5- or 7-day cruise on Norwegian Prima. Enjoy the natural beauty and rich history of this charming little island, along with an array of activities that will make you happy. Be ready to book this cruise to paradise on our site on Wednesday when we reveal first-of-its-class exclusives on board Norwegian Prima.

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Prima - Shows, Times, Frequency

By Greenpea2 , October 22, 2022 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Hoping a recent Prima cruiser (well, I guess they ALL would be recent...) can give me an idea on what Shows are available. I'm also interested in what the show times are as I am soon going to be booking restaurants. Also, how often are the "big" shows? How many nights per cruise, two? And 2 (early and late) on those days? Haven't cruised since before the Covid mess so I figured I should get some updated info, as well as specific to the Prima.  Many thanks!

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BirdTravels

2 hours ago, Greenpea2 said: Hoping a recent Prima cruiser (well, I guess they ALL would be recent...) can give me an idea on what Shows are available. I'm also interested in what the show times are as I am soon going to be booking restaurants. Also, how often are the "big" shows? How many nights per cruise, two? And 2 (early and late) on those days? Haven't cruised since before the Covid mess so I figured I should get some updated info, as well as specific to the Prima.  Many thanks!

So,,, the ship has really not run a regular 7-day cruise since she was launched in August. So, there is no "regular" entertainment schedule. And, the cruise line has been finalizing entertainment schedules a few days before departure due to COVID and other constraints. 

The following link is to a live post from the Prima a week ago. 

This is the entertainment schedule from that cruise. On our cruise, prizes at the Price is Right included the opportunity to win new corvette.  

24 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:   So,,, the ship has really not run a regular 7-day cruise since she was launched in August. So, there is no "regular" entertainment schedule. And, the cruise line has been finalizing entertainment schedules a few days before departure due to COVID and other constraints.    The following link is to a live post from the Prima a week ago.    This is the entertainment schedule from that cruise. On our cruise, prizes at the Price is Right included the opportunity to win new corvette.  

This is great! Thanks so much. OI also (after I posted) noticed on the website they have info for reserving stuff. Had not had a chance to go through it. We are mostly interested in the "Big Shows"..As of now it is still Donna Summer for one of them.

5 minutes ago, Greenpea2 said: This is great! Thanks so much. OI also (after I posted) noticed on the website they have info for reserving stuff. Had not had a chance to go through it. We are mostly interested in the "Big Shows"..As of now it is still Donna Summer for one of them.

Donna Summer and the NoiseBoys were the two "big" shows. Price is Right is another "big show" with people chosen at random from the audience for a chance to win prizes. One person got some Tumi luggage and one person got 650 cash and one person won a big flat screen TV. 

27 minutes ago, BirdTravels said: Donna Summer and the NoiseBoys were the two "big" shows. Price is Right is another "big show" with people chosen at random from the audience for a chance to win prizes. One person got some Tumi luggage and one person got 650 cash and one person won a big flat screen TV. 

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:   So,,, the ship has really not run a regular 7-day cruise since she was launched in August. So, there is no "regular" entertainment schedule. And, the cruise line has been finalizing entertainment schedules a few days before departure due to COVID and other constraints.    The following link is to a live post from the Prima a week ago.    This is the entertainment schedule from that cruise. On our cruise, prizes at the Price is Right included the opportunity to win new corvette.  

I notice that one of the Donna Summer shows was at 6:30. Which makes me ask How early do the restaurants open for dinner? We probably won't want to eat as late as 8:30 (old farts) but the early show sounds good. Can you eat before 5 to make a 6:30 show? 

1 hour ago, Greenpea2 said: I notice that one of the Donna Summer shows was at 6:30. Which makes me ask How early do the restaurants open for dinner? We probably won't want to eat as late as 8:30 (old farts) but the early show sounds good. Can you eat before 5 to make a 6:30 show? 

For best seating, you should be at your show venue 30 minutes before show time. 

8 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:   For best seating, you should be at your show venue 30 minutes before show time. 

Hmmm. I guess it's the late show then! The Haven restaurant is likely the same. We will; be wild & crazy one night!

CruizinSusan70

The Prima will start her 7 day routine when she has 3 sailings from Miami in November and December and then thirteen 7 day sailings with a 5 & 9 mixed in from Port Canaveral through March.

What shows are there other than Donna Summers? (We are not disco fans.)

Also is there availability to dance onboard? Also are there dance lessons?

2 hours ago, ontheweb said: What shows are there other than Donna Summers? (We are not disco fans.)   Also is there availability to dance onboard? Also are there dance lessons?

The other big show is Noise Boys.  There will be game shows as well.  Price is Right has already debuted.  Others will include Supermarket Sweep, Press Your Luck and Beat the Clock.  After the late showing of Donna Summer the theater pushes back the seats like a high school gym and the area transforms into Studio 54.  There are comedy shows to reserve at the Improv as well as a single comedy show in the theater.  Syd Norman's Pour House is first come first seated for live music.

Regarding the Donna Summer show, I believe there are 3 different performers reenacting her career at 3 different stages, so it would not just be her "disco phase".

1 hour ago, CruizinSusan70 said: The other big show is Noise Boys.  There will be game shows as well.  Price is Right has already debuted.  Others will include Supermarket Sweep, Press Your Luck and Beat the Clock.  After the late showing of Donna Summer the theater pushes back the seats like a high school gym and the area transforms into Studio 54.  There are comedy shows to reserve at the Improv as well as a single comedy show in the theater.  Syd Norman's Pour House is first come first seated for live music. Regarding the Donna Summer show, I believe there are 3 different performers reenacting her career at 3 different stages, so it would not just be her "disco phase".

Thanks for the information.

It really does not compare to our last NCL cruise which had both the Blue Man Group and dinner theater with Cirq d' Soleil. JMHO.

3 hours ago, ontheweb said: Thanks for the information.   It really does not compare to our last NCL cruise which had both the Blue Man Group and dinner theater with Cirq d' Soleil. JMHO.

The dinner theater did cost extra.  And which ship was it and when?

3 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said: The dinner theater did cost extra.  And which ship was it and when?

Yes, the dinner cost extra and had almost no choices unlike the normal dinner experience.

It was the summer of 2012 on the Epic.

12 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said: Regarding the Donna Summer show, I believe there are 3 different performers reenacting her career at 3 different stages, so it would not just be her "disco phase".

Yes. It is a musical biography of her life with young Donna (11 years old), midlife Donna, and old Donna. Yeah,,, it has some disco undertones. But is not Saturday Night Live. 

11 hours ago, ontheweb said: It really does not compare to our last NCL cruise which had both the Blue Man Group and dinner theater with Cirq d' Soleil. JMHO.

Yeah,,, we liked the Blue Man Group, but they were replaced in 2015 during the ship's 5-year dry dock with Pricilla The Queen of the Desert. The two main shows are Pricilla and Burn the Floor (which continues on it's third contract). 

4 hours ago, ontheweb said: Yes, the dinner cost extra and had almost no choices unlike the normal dinner experience.   It was the summer of 2012 on the Epic.

Things obviously have changed in 10 years.  It would be shortsighted to assume that things would be the same since your last NCL cruise that was 10+ years ago.  If you make your decision as to which ship to sail on based upon the shows they have there are numerous other choices in the fleet to choose from instead of the newest state of the art ship.  

9 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said: Things obviously have changed in 10 years.  It would be shortsighted to assume that things would be the same since your last NCL cruise that was 10+ years ago.  If you make your decision as to which ship to sail on based upon the shows they have there are numerous other choices in the fleet to choose from instead of the newest state of the art ship.  

We have been on 5 different cruise lines, and the one thing I can say about our 2 NCL cruises was that they had the best entertainment. That is why I asked about the shows.

And we chose the Prima cruise for the itinerary, London (Southampton) to Reykjavik with stops in Amsterdam, Belgium, 3 in Norway, and 3 in Iceland including an overnight in Reykjavik before disembarking.

• 2 months later...

On 10/25/2022 at 8:41 AM, ontheweb said: We have been on 5 different cruise lines, and the one thing I can say about our 2 NCL cruises was that they had the best entertainment. That is why I asked about the shows.   And we chose the Prima cruise for the itinerary, London (Southampton) to Reykjavik with stops in Amsterdam, Belgium, 3 in Norway, and 3 in Iceland including an overnight in Reykjavik before disembarking.

We've booked the same itinerary, Southampton to Reykjavik, on the Prima for this June for the very same reasons: itinerary and previous NCL great entertainment.  But I'm worried after reading reviews that the theater is so small getting your choice of show and time is difficult, the food choices repetitive at the main dining rooms, and scheduling specialty dinner around shows could be problematic.  Maybe everything will be fixed by this summer, but if not it'll be back to Celebrity Cruises for us ... they don't charge for things like darts!!

1 minute ago, LVHOKIE said: We've booked the same itinerary, Southampton to Reykjavik, on the Prima for this June for the very same reasons: itinerary and previous NCL great entertainment.  But I'm worried after reading reviews that the theater is so small getting your choice of show and time is difficult, the food choices repetitive at the main dining rooms, and scheduling specialty dinner around shows could be problematic.  Maybe everything will be fixed by this summer, but if not it'll be back to Celebrity Cruises for us ... they don't charge for things like darts!!  

Does fixed mean changed to your satisfaction or something else? I  doubt that NCL thinks anything is broken so there is nothing to fix.

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This major cruise line operator just announced its biggest ship order ever

One of the world’s leading cruise operators unveiled its biggest ship order ever on Monday.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. will take delivery of eight ships between 2026 and 2036 across its three brands. 

Norwegian Cruise Line will welcome four ships in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036, each with a capacity of close to 5,000 guests. The additions are subject to financing.

The vessels will follow the line’s previously announced Prima-Plus class vessels.

The upscale Oceania Cruises will take delivery of two 1,450-guest ships in 2027 and 2029, and luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises will add two ships in 2026 and 2029, each accommodating 850 passengers.

"This strategic new-ship order across all three of our award-winning brands provides for the steady introduction of cutting-edge vessels into our fleet and solidifies our long-term growth,” Harry Sommer, the company’s president and CEO, said in a news release . “It also allows us to significantly leverage our operating scale, strengthen our commitment to innovation and enhance our ability to offer our guests new products and experiences, all while providing opportunities to enhance the efficiency of our fleet.”

Specifics about the ships’ accommodations and amenities will be announced “in the coming months,” according to the release.

The company will also add a new multi-ship pier at its private Bahamas island, Great Stirrup Cay, scheduled for completion by late 2025. The pier will be able to accommodate two large ships at once.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Norwegian Cruise Line reveals new onboard dining, including first Thai restaurant at sea

R eady your stomachs. Food options on Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, Norwegian Aqua, will include a dedicated Thai restaurant, as well as an eatery that caters to passengers who prefer plant-based diets.

Norwegian is introducing Sukhothai, the first Thai restaurant at sea, featuring new spins on traditional dishes, and Planterie, which will offer a menu of meatless bowls.

Here's everything we know so far about these two new dining options.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Sukhothai, a sit-down restaurant on Norwegian Aqua's Deck 17, plans to whip up Thai favorites, such as cashew chicken, salt and pepper prawns, grilled steak salad, and a number of curries. Its interior, designed to evoke Thailand, will be a mix of modern and traditional, featuring colorful furniture and rice paper pendant lights. You can dine there for an extra fee.

Planterie will be positioned in the ship's Indulge Food Hall . It will cater to anyone looking for meatless meals with selections like the Mediterranean Goddess Bowl, packed with spiced vegetables, tabbouleh and honey-roasted carrots, and the Southwest Bowl, which features smoked tempeh. As with other venues at Indulge, Planterie will offer both indoor and outdoor seating, and the food will be included in the cruise fare.

NCL also announced that Norwegian Aqua will house a new wine bar called Swirl. Despite the venue's upscale nature, its goal is to remain approachable — something the bar hopes to accomplish by offering an extensive list of wines by the glass, as well as more rare and premium vintages. It will be found on Deck 6, between the Whiskey Bar and Hasuki, the ship's hibachi-style eatery. The interior design was inspired by Antelope Canyon in Arizona, featuring warm colors and a serene atmosphere.

"Expanding on our award-winning food and beverage program, we're looking forward to bringing new concepts to life aboard Norwegian Aqua, while continuing to deliver on the variety of available offerings and value that NCL delivers," said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line, in a statement.

In addition to the new venues, returning passenger favorites — some with a new twist — include the Metropolitan sustainable cocktail bar , Nama Sushi and Sashimi, the Surfside Cafe buffet, Mediterranean seafood restaurant Palomar, The Local Bar & Grill, Cagney's Steakhouse , main dining rooms Hudson's and The Commodore Room, upscale Italian restaurant Onda by Scarpetta, French eatery Le Bistro , and Mexican restaurant Los Lobos.

Other standout ship features already revealed for Norwegian Aqua include a 10-deck dry slide with a nearly vertical drop, a hybrid waterslide and roller coaster, and Glow Court, a glowing sports court illuminated with LEDs.

The 3,571-passenger ship, which will be the first in the line's expanded Prima Plus Class — a larger version of the Prima Class — is slated for completion in April 2025. For the first four months, the vessel will sail seven-night Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, Florida, near Orlando. The ship will then relocate to New York's Manhattan terminal to sail a brief series of voyages to Bermuda before taking up residence in Miami and returning to Caribbean cruises through the end of 2025.

Want more information on Norwegian Cruise Line? TPG has you covered:

• A complete guide to Norwegian Cruise Line
• Norwegian Cruise Line's Latitudes loyalty program
• All you need to know about NCL cabins and suites
• Norwegian Cruise Line's ship types, explained
• NCL ships from biggest to smallest
• NCL ships from newest to oldest
• A guide to Norwegian Cruise Line drink packages
• The best NCL ship for every type of traveler
• What is NCL's Free at Sea?

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Travel | NCL details new dining on Canaveral-bound…

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Subscriber only, travel | ncl details new dining on canaveral-bound norwegian aqua.

With more room than its two sister ships, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest vessel will feature several new and redesigned dining options when it arrives at Port Canaveral next spring.

Norwegian Aqua is the first of what the line is calling its Prima Plus class, 10% larger than 2021’s Prima and 2023’s Viva. The ship comes in at 1,056 feet long, 156,300 gross tons and a 3,571-passenger capacity based on double occupancy. That’s still smaller than the line’s popular Breakaway Plus class ships Escape, Joy, Bliss and Encore.

Still, the extra room means a shift of some returning venues found on Prima and Viva and the introduction of three new offerings.

At the top of the list is the line’s first dedicated Thai venue called Sukhothai, a specialty restaurant headed to Deck 17 with items such as Thai cashew chicken, salt and pepper prawns and Thai grilled steak salad. There also will be a variety of curries. The venue’s design comes from SMC Design firm out of London aiming to blend traditional and contemporary Thai elements, according to the line.

“(Guests) will be greeted with a warm, inviting atmosphere of bamboo and rice paper pendant lights; a striking geometric patterned floor; and colorful furniture transporting diners to the culturally rich country of Thailand,” according to a press release.

It joins a pair of returning Asian fare venues, the Japanese hibachi Hasuki as well as relatively new offering Nama Sushi and Sashimi, which is found on both Prima and Viva, but will feature an updated look on Aqua. Nama’s design from NCL-favorite designers Studio DADO out of Miami will draw from Manga art.

“Guests can expect a playful dining experience surrounded by bold colors of lime green and black,” the line stated.

Planterie is a second new food offering that will actually be one of 10 cuisines to be offered at returning food hall concept Indulge Food Hall on Deck 8. The menu will be all plant-based bowls and other healthy options, the line’s first dedicated eatery with a full plant-based menu. Example items include the Southwest Bowl with smoked tempeh and the Mediterranean Goddess Bowl with spiced vegetables, tabbouleh and honey-roasted carrots.

Indulge Food Hall will get a design makeover by New York’s Rockwell Group going for deep wood accents and gold and metal furnishings. It’s one of the more popular and free options on board both Prima and Viva with both indoor and outdoor seating, and a reputation for getting cruisers their food fast. They sit down, order food using tablets from among all the available offerings such as Mediterranean tapas, barbecue and dessert.

Another new venue will be dedicated to wine. The Swirl Wine Bar also designed by Studio DADO will be “tucked away” on Deck 6.

“The hidden enclave will feature a comprehensive wine-by-the-glass menu, and an extensive list of rare and premium vintages,” the line stated. “The venue’s architecture is inspired by the captivating beauty and curvature of the geologically stunning Antelope Canyon in Arizona, with warm color hues complemented by cascading horizontal lines and serene blue touches create a perfectly inviting and enchanting space for guests to unwind.”

The sustainable-themed Metropolitan bar will be getting a new and larger home with new design as well, courtesy of Studio DADO. Moving from mid-ship to the aft on Deck 7, it will now feature a grand piano and small stage for live music with an art-deco design from mid-1900s New York.

Studio DADO is also reworking the complimentary dining space, the Commodore Room, with a more rustic sea-fairing theme.

“Paying homage to the imaginative narrative of the captain’s room, the venue will transport guests to the past times of maritime sophistication with antique wood furnishings; leather banquettes; floors that mimic the lines of a pier; and incredible stone accents, all with a delicate, modern touch,” the line stated.

Other venues getting makeover for Aqua include the Surfside Cafe buffet and Mediterranean seafood option Palomar as well as the Penrose Bar and Waves Pool Bar. The Whiskey Bar and Belvedere Bar are also migrating to new spaces on the ship.

The increased space also means more seating for Hasuki, The Local Bar & Grill and steakhouse Cagney’s.

The ship will also see the return of free venue Hudson’s with its 270-degree views as well as specialty venues French restaurant Le Bistro, Mexican restaurant Los Lobos and Italian restaurant Onda by Scarpetta.

Aqua will begin seven-night sailing of Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral beginning in April 2025 before migrating to New York in August and then back to Florida, but sailing out of Miami from October 2025-April 2026.

Among the ship highlights will be what the line says is the first hybrid coaster at sea, a digital sports complex and the first three-bedroom duplex suites for the cruise line in its exclusive area called The Haven.

Set to become NCL’s 20th ship in its fleet, construction continues at the Fincantieri shipyards in Italy, and it marks the first of four planned ships in the Prima Plus class through 2028.

NCL’s parent company recently announced it was also working to secure funding for what would be the biggest class of ship ever for the line at more than 200,000 gross tons with four ships on order from 2030-2036.

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