Table Of Content
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. 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. 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.
Prima Will Be Smaller Than Previous Ships
It's designed to carry just 3,100 passengers at double occupancy. But the ship itself isn't ridiculously giant in the way that many recent megaships from big-ship lines have been — and it doesn't carry the same sort of massive number of passengers. This more upscale feel is a sharp turn for Norwegian — but perhaps it should come as no surprise.
Food and drinks
Standard balcony cabins also have spacious and modern bathrooms. You won't feel cramped in them the way you do in entry-level rooms on some big ships. Norwegian Prima's top deck also still is loaded with family fun zones, including the largest go-kart track at sea (yes, this is a thing, ever since Norwegian began adding them to ships in 2017). The elegant feel of the Penrose Atrium carries over to the many restaurants, bars and entertainment venues that spread out from its three levels (decks 6, 7 and 8). You'll find the equally sculptural Onda by Scarpetta, a high-end Italian eatery, right off its top level, and a string of stylish restaurants with new-for-Norwegian themes not far from its midlevel. The 3,100-passenger ship is loaded with stylish, upscale bars and restaurants.
Brand-New Entertainment Onboard Includes Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
From the slides and other sports activities to the pools and waterslide, there was plenty to keep cruisers who did not go ashore busy. Over the eight days onboard the new Norwegian Prima cruise ship, there were four ports of call. While the slides are free, the additional activities on Norwegian Prima’s sports deck will cost money. This mini-golf course is set to cost around $15 for a 9-hole round.
How much does it cost to go on Norwegian Prima?
Cabin 9148 is a forward-located stateroom on the portside of the ship. Actually, it is only a few steps from the forward bank of elevators. According to NCL’s website, this category BF cabin measures 231 square feet, with a balcony of 45 square feet. So, for this Norwegian Prima cruise ship review, we did our best to attend as many of the nighttime activities as possible. While daytime programming might h ave been a bit light, there was plenty to do in the evenings.
Tee Time
Norwegian Cruise Lines' Prima sets sail from Port of Galveston - Chron
Norwegian Cruise Lines' Prima sets sail from Port of Galveston.
Posted: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
However, the cruise line has made some big changes to its main dining room experience on Norwegian Prima. Finally, for those looking for a more exclusive experience, there is the Vibe Beach Club. For a current price of $249 a person, this reserved aft sun deck on Deck 17 is a private oasis.
Instead of just covering a couple of decks at the front of the ship, the Haven on Norwegian Prima — designed by the celebrated Italian design firm Lissoni — now fills eight floors of the back end of the ship. The added floors mean it has more suites (107), as well as more expansive interior public lounge, bar and restaurant areas than previous Haven complexes. The new location also allows for a more elaborate and comfortable outdoor lounge and pool area. There are still two traditional main restaurants offering menu service and I found the food to be equivalent to fine dining. A modern food hall offers 11 different dining concepts with everything from a noodle bar and Indian cuisine to barbecue and a full-service Starbucks. This concept is perfect for multi-generational families with diverse palates to please.
Review of Norwegian Prima
The Waterfront debuted with the Breakaway Class in 2013 and quickly became a well-liked — and fitting— concept for the cruise line. Cruisers who are indecisive or adventurous eaters will especially love the Indulge Food Hall, new to Norwegian’s Prima Class. Indulge Food Hall offers the atmosphere of a food truck court with the convenience of indoor/outdoor seating and streamlined tablet ordering. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima Class of cruise ships launched in 2022 with the debut of Norwegian Prima. As part of Norwegian Prima's Aqua Park and Main Pool area, will be NCL's first Tidal Wave waterslide featuring gushing surfs where guests can ride an innertube to catch the perfect wave. Alternatively, relax in one of two infinity hot tubs or under the area's cascading water feature.
The promenade deck is one of the best at sea
The ship itself is completely different from any other ship in the Norwegian lineup with its eight specialty dining restaurants, three-level go-kart track, interactive mini golf course, 10-story tall slides, and more. While Prima encourages guests to take advantage of its popular port stops, the ship also offers passengers a wide range of activities to do while onboard during sea days as well. Spas always seem to be afterthoughts on cruise ships, but Prima's Mandara Spa almost feels like the ship was designed around it. An impressive two-story waterfall (a first among cruise ships) that spills into thermal pools is the spa's most inviting feature. 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.
It's the perfect spot to enjoy an afternoon cocktail or stroll in the moonlight after dinner. This is different than we see on most cruise ships, where the MDR menu rotates daily. It works on Prima because there are so many other restaurant options (including free venues) from which to choose. 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. There are seven upscale dining venues that require reservations and offer specialties from around the world—each one has its own unique personality.
A not-insignificant part of the top of the vessel is devoted to outdoor lounge areas that are exclusively for use by passengers staying in the ship's Haven suite area. Another portion of the top deck is devoted to the private Vibe Beach Club lounge area. The latter area only is accessible to passengers who pay extra. This is perhaps the aspect I most appreciated about the Prima—the thoughtful design that is an attempt to woo those anti-cruisers who want to avoid crowds. There are many small sitting areas scattered throughout the ship with comfortable seating, daybeds, and loungers if you just want to read a book in a quiet space. I fell into that "don't" category, but a recent trip on Norwegian's newest ship, Prima, just moved me into the "love" category.
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. 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. 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. When the weather is less than ideal, there are a few indoor spaces where you can post up in.
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). 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).
And don't worry, there are still plenty of casual dining options for grabbing a quick bite or burger. There's no shortage of lounges and bars, from quiet intimate spaces to sports-themed and music-filled spots. The ship's Metropolitan Bar is the industry's first sustainable cocktail bar at sea, artfully serving zero-waste cocktails prepared with surplus ingredients from the restaurants. 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.
Most rooms are outfitted with a queen bed that can be converted into two separate twin beds for a single person. The rooms range in price, with inside and studio staterooms at the lower end of the totem pole and the luxe haven suites at the other end. An inside stateroom is indoors; studio staterooms are intended for the solo traveler; ocean-view rooms provide window views; and balcony rooms feature floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a private balcony.
At 3,099 passengers, it's blissfully smaller than the 4,000-guest ships of Norwegians' preceding Breakaway and Breakaway-Plus classes. This, along with a smart design that puts all the fun stuff in the middle of the ship, makes it easy to navigate; you'll learn your way around the ship by Day 2. Finished with the finest touches, spacious suites with luxury accommodations. Welcome to a place where the ocean meets the healing waters within — the breathtaking new Mandara Spa. From multiple detoxifying saunas to state-of-the-art pools to a two-story waterfall, the experience on Norwegian Prima will awaken every sense.
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