who is the cruise director on ncl prima

• Norwegian Cruise Line

Prima Cruise Director is:

By YVRteacher , August 3, 2022 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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He comes from Celebrity and did his first NCL contract on the Getaway.  He is on board the Prima now and is showing lots of “sneak peak” videos on IG.

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Cruiserconnoisseur25

Do you know what his last is? I can’t find him on IG.

1 hour ago, Cruiserconnoisseur25 said: Do you know what his last is? I can’t find him on IG.

I believe they are referring to Simon Akinwolere

aubreyc1988

He is a great CD 😄  

Any word on Haven concierge?

or the housekeeper on deck 7, inside cabin?

9 minutes ago, dcs1989 said: Any word on Haven concierge?

Is "Haven" needed? It isn't like there is a non-Haven concierge onboard.

6 minutes ago, LGW59 said: or the housekeeper on deck 7, inside cabin?

Might be funnier if there were inside cabins on deck 7. Or any cabins on deck 7.

4 minutes ago, SeaShark said:   Is "Haven" needed? It isn't like there is a non-Haven concierge onboard.     Might be funnier if there were inside cabins on deck 7. Or any cabins on deck 7.

It is "needed" to maximize all the perks the haven has to offer and having that level of knowledge of the ship / ports to help with your bookings is invaluable.  Is it necessary to enjoy your cruise? Obviously not.  But it is a service provided to Haven bookings and you can definitely notice the difference between a good concierge and a bad concierge when you utilize one so it can make your cruise that much over the top if you have one of the best (which they usually put on the newer ships).  

2 minutes ago, dcs1989 said:   It is "needed" to maximize all the perks the haven has to offer and having that level of knowledge of the ship / ports to help with your bookings is invaluable.  Is it necessary to enjoy your cruise? Obviously not.  But it is a service provided to Haven bookings and you can definitely notice the difference between a good concierge and a bad concierge when you utilize one so it can make your cruise that much over the top if you have one of the best (which they usually put on the newer ships).  

You misunderstand...

Is is necessary to use the word "Haven" to describe the concierge? Not a question of whether or not the concierge is necessary. (Notice that I didn't have to say "Haven concierge" in that last sentence)

Instead of saying "Any word on the Haven concierge?", could someone just say "Any word on the concierge?"

It isn't like someone would ask the latter and the response would be "Which concierge?"

8 minutes ago, SeaShark said:   You misunderstand...   Is is necessary to use the word "Haven" to describe the concierge? Not a question of whether or not the concierge is necessary. (Notice that I didn't have to say "Haven concierge" in that last sentence)   Instead of saying "Any word on the Haven concierge?", could someone just say "Any word on the concierge?"   It isn't like someone would ask the latter and the response would be "Which concierge?"

Lol - your reaching.  It's not like its a tautology.  I personally like to be as clear as possible in an online setting.  

The better question would be was your response necessary?  You have a good day :).  Don't be so bitter :)!

36 minutes ago, SeaShark said:   Is "Haven" needed? It isn't like there is a non-Haven concierge onboard.     Might be funnier if there were inside cabins on deck 7. Or any cabins on deck 7.

Unsurprisingly you miss the point. 🥳

14 minutes ago, dcs1989 said:   Lol - your reaching.  It's not like its a tautology.  I personally like to be as clear as possible in an online setting.     The better question would be was your response necessary?  You have a good day :).  Don't be so bitter :)!

Sure the response was necessary, but only to correct your obvious misunderstanding. 

Question, does everyone know what a butler is, or do I have to refer to them as "Haven butlers"?

And don't be so judgmental...people aren't as bitter as you assume.

10 minutes ago, LGW59 said: Unsurprisingly you miss the point. 🥳

Or the point was poorly made... 🙄

The concierge is David Contreras.  

4 hours ago, SeaShark said:   Sure the response was necessary, but only to correct your obvious misunderstanding.    Question, does everyone know what a butler is, or do I have to refer to them as "Haven butlers"?   And don't be so judgmental...people aren't as bitter as you assume.

The butler is the one who"always did it". Haven't you watched any murder mysteries?

luvsboozecruises

6 hours ago, SeaShark said:   You misunderstand...   Is is necessary to use the word "Haven" to describe the concierge? Not a question of whether or not the concierge is necessary. (Notice that I didn't have to say "Haven concierge" in that last sentence)   Instead of saying "Any word on the Haven concierge?", could someone just say "Any word on the concierge?"   It isn't like someone would ask the latter and the response would be "Which concierge?"

OMG,, 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

Coastalbreezes

17 hours ago, jemz1949 said: The concierge is David Contreras.    

Alongside David will be Virginia Brotherton sharing concierge duties for a few months.

1 hour ago, Coastalbreezes said: Alongside David will be Virginia Brotherton sharing concierge duties for a few months.

Others will disagree, but for us, the two worst we've ever encountered on NCL.  Well, maybe except Ruth but she left.

Where is Patrick when you need him?  Again, others will disagree.  At the end of the day, just shows inconsistency in the Haven and suites.

4 hours ago, Coastalbreezes said: Alongside David will be Virginia Brotherton sharing concierge duties for a few months.

Virginia is quite good, too!

Nice line up of Concierges on the ship, it seems….particularly given Adrian has left NCL.

Cruising Lynne

I am excited to see Simon again in October. He was the cruise director on our March cruise on Getaway. I love to see what Simon is going to wear each day. He is definitely one of the more interesting and fun cruise directors. Woo Hoo! {Don't care who is concierge).

4 hours ago, dexddd said: Others will disagree, but for us, the two worst we've ever encountered on NCL.  Well, maybe except Ruth but she left.   Where is Patrick when you need him?  Again, others will disagree.  At the end of the day, just shows inconsistency in the Haven and suites.

I don't think we've ever had Virginia, but we have not had good experiences with David. We had one were he was "meh" and another where we looked at each other at the end of the cruise and asked what we did to him in order to make him so mean/unpleasant to us.

And as an FYI, we generally ask very little of the concierge. I take care of our reservations before we get on the ship and we only ask for some friendliness or maybe to change a reservation if it is needed. We got neither from him and our tip reflected that.

12 hours ago, dexddd said: Others will disagree, but for us, the two worst we've ever encountered on NCL.  Well, maybe except Ruth but she left.   Where is Patrick when you need him?  Again, others will disagree.  At the end of the day, just shows inconsistency in the Haven and suites.

Meanwhile Patrick was always one of the most divisive concierges in terms of opinions here.  We didn’t like him at all!   😁

Some people are friendly with the Concierges, some are not.  Personally, I make it a point to engage in small talk and banter when I first board and meet the concierges.  Small thing, but I think they understand I'm not going to be a PITA to them. And, that I'm pretty genial.

It helps to say "please" and "thank you", too.  Just generally be polite.

All that has gone a long way in how I'm treated by the Concierges (and the Butlers, too).

On 8/11/2022 at 10:54 AM, brookie848 said:   I don't think we've ever had Virginia, but we have not had good experiences with David. We had one were he was "meh" and another where we looked at each other at the end of the cruise and asked what we did to him in order to make him so mean/unpleasant to us.   And as an FYI, we generally ask very little of the concierge. I take care of our reservations before we get on the ship and we only ask for some friendliness or maybe to change a reservation if it is needed. We got neither from him and our tip reflected that.

That's exactly our experience.  We don't normally ask anything of the concierge as we book online.  We first saw David in holding area in terminal where a lady and son were hugging him and you'd think it was his mother.

Once on ship, very few encounters from him but when we did it was a frown.

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• Norwegian Cruise Line

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 North Sea (coordinates 60.39130 N / 5.30588 E) cruising en route to GEIRANGER, NORWAY. The AIS position was reported 6 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Norwegian Prima

Norwegian Prima current cruise is 11 days, one-way from Southampton to Reykjavik . Prices start from USD 1629 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 02 Jun, 2024 and ends on 13 Jun, 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

• Norwegian Aqua
• Norwegian Bliss
• Norwegian Breakaway
• Norwegian Dawn
• Norwegian Encore
• Norwegian Epic
• Norwegian Escape
• Norwegian Gem
• Norwegian Getaway
• Norwegian Jade
• Norwegian Jewel
• Norwegian Joy
• Norwegian Pearl
• Norwegian Sky
• Norwegian Spirit
• Norwegian Star
• Norwegian Sun
• Norwegian Viva
• Pride of America

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)

I've been on nearly every Norwegian Cruise Line ship afloat; here are my 1st impressions of the new Norwegian Prima

It really is elevated. And elegant. So much so that I'm sort of in shock.

Norwegian Cruise Line has been promising to take things up a notch with its new ship, Norwegian Prima — to "elevate" the experience as compared to earlier Norwegian vessels, as its executives have been saying . But in typical journalist fashion, I've been skeptical.

After five days on board Norwegian Prima in advance of its first sailing with paying passengers, I am skeptical no more.

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

The 3,100-passenger ship is loaded with stylish, upscale bars and restaurants. Its cabins are sleek and modern. Its suite complex is next-level.

It has an array of onboard entertainment and amusements that is as impressive as ever, too.

In short, it's like nothing you've seen before in the Norwegian fleet . And I say this as someone who has sailed on every one of the 18 ships operated by Norwegian except two (Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Spirit).

That isn't to say Norwegian Prima is perfect. There are a few things about its design that leave me scratching my head — things that maybe the line can change before it moves ahead with the rollout of five sister ships that already are on order.

But mostly they are quibbles. The bottom line is that Norwegian Prima takes Norwegian cruising to new heights. If you're a fan of the line, this is the new ship you can't wait to book.

Here are my first impressions of Norwegian Prima after getting a sneak peek at it this week in advance of its first official sailing on Saturday.

Norwegian Prima has an elegant look

From the moment you step on board Norwegian Prima, you notice the difference from past Norwegian ships. It's an elegant vessel of the sort you find in the fleets of Norwegian's higher-end sister brands Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — albeit on a bigger scale.

The entryway to the ship deposits you at the three-story-high Penrose Atrium, which may be the most beautiful atrium of any big ship at sea. It has a curvy, sculptural feel, as if the entire space were an art piece.

Studio Dado, the design firm behind the Penrose Atrium, studied great piazzas around the world, such as St. Mark's Square in Venice, to come up with its layout and look. The design includes offset entrances from other parts of the ship on each level that — like the narrow streets of Venice opening up into that grand gathering spot — give you the sense of stumbling onto something wonderful when you arrive.

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 eateries include Nama, a new sushi restaurant for Norwegian with a high design that is as sophisticated as the sushi it serves.

Also created by Studio Dado, Nama boasts a cream-and-orange color palette and suspended light fixtures subtly inspired by masago (fish eggs) and a reception desk that hints at the marbling pattern found on fish. Among the small touches in the seating area are raised, Japanese-style platforms where diners can tuck their shoes underneath before being seated on floor cushions.

Among other nearby outlets with elevated design is Cagney's Steakhouse. The venue pays homage to 20th-century architecture icon Frank Lloyd Wright with patterned concrete walls and other bold modern architectural elements.

Also striking is Norwegian Prima's version of Le Bistro, Norwegian's signature French eatery. It's built around three massive crystal chandeliers costing nearly $100,000 that hang down all the way to the floor — a showstopper of a design element. Gold-leaf wallpaper lines its booth seating. The overall feel is upscale Parisian apartment.

Notably, the public areas that include these restaurants feel more spacious than many of the other 17 ships in the Norwegian fleet. And, indeed they are. Norwegian Prima was built with a higher ratio of space to passengers, which itself is an upscale touch.

The ship has a higher crew-to-passenger ratio than many Norwegian ships, as well.

Both measures are often used as shorthand for the luxury level and service level of a ship.

This more upscale feel is a sharp turn for Norwegian — but perhaps it should come as no surprise. Norwegian Prima is the first Norwegian vessel designed from the keel up since cruise industry veteran Frank Del Rio became CEO of parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Del Rio, who built the upscale Oceania brand from nothing into a major player in the industry in the 2000s, is particularly known for his high-end leanings when designing ships.

This big ship feels intimate

The public areas of Norwegian Prima may feel spacious. 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.

Going against the always-go-bigger trend of recent cruise ship building, Norwegian has made Norwegian Prima about 14% smaller than its last new ship, Norwegian Encore.

Related: The ultimate guide to Norwegian Cruise Line

It's designed to carry just 3,100 passengers at double occupancy. That's 22% fewer people than Norwegian Encore.

The result is that you don't feel like you're sailing with the tourist hordes quite as much as you do on some of the other recent big ships to debut.

This is all relative, of course. Three thousand people on a ship is still a lot of people. But consider that rival Royal Caribbean 's newest vessel, Wonder of the Seas , is designed to sail with 5,734 passengers at double occupancy. It can hold 6,988 passengers with every pull-out sofa and pull-down bunk filled. Wonder of the Seas measures 235,600 tons — 62% larger than Norwegian Prima.

By that measure, Norwegian Prima is downright small and uncrowded for a big ship with a lot to offer (see more on that below).

If you love big ships with a lot going on, but you're squeamish about the idea of sharing it with 6,000 or 7,000 people, Norwegian Prima could be the perfect ship for you.

Prima is packed with activities

Perhaps the greatest design triumph of Norwegian Prima isn't the elevated style of its public spaces. It's that the ship's designers were able to pack so much on the vessel.

Despite its smaller footprint, Norwegian Prima has more food outlets, not fewer, than the last few Norwegian ships. It also has just as robust an array of onboard entertainment, including a real Broadway show (the Tony Award-nominated "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical") in a stunner of a theater that converts late at night into a dance club. In what is a technological marvel to watch, the entire lower deck of seating in the theater slides away to create a giant dance floor.

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).

Despite being 14% smaller than Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Prima has a go-kart track that is 22% larger than the one on that ship. It spreads over parts of three decks — one more than on earlier ships.

Related: Why I loved Norwegian Prima's ridiculously big go-kart track

In addition, the top of Norwegian Prima has a new-for-the-line open-air games zone called The Stadium with a pickleball court, foosball tables, pingpong, bar-style hand shuffleboard tables and other amusements.

There's also a new electronic darts venue called The Bull's Eye where you rent a space to play with your friend, a souped-up miniature golf course, a bowl-style waterslide, a kiddie splash zone and two giant dry-slide drop attractions where you plunge from the top of the ship to the promenade deck below.

In other words, while the interior of the ship has taken an elegant turn, for sure, this isn't a vessel that's just for couples on an upscale getaway. It's still very much a family-focused ship, as Norwegian ships have long been.

My only quibble with all the aforementioned deck-top attractions is that it may be too much. Norwegian has packed so much onto the top of Norwegian Prima that, given its smaller size, I suspect it'll feel a little cramped once the vessel starts sailing with a full complement of passengers. This is in contrast to the spaciousness of the public areas in the interior of the ship.

One factor contributing to what was a "Woah, there's maybe way too much jammed up here" feeling upon first seeing the top deck of Norwegian Prima is that, as has increasingly been the case with Norwegian ships in recent years, large chunks of it are closed off to regular passengers. 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.

Related: How to get the most from Norwegian's Latitudes Rewards loyalty program

One noticeable issue created by the large number of things put up top on the ship is that it's confusing to get around while up there. The deck-top space is broken up into too many sections, without a lot of ways to walk between them. To get from the main pool to the entryway to the go-kart track, for instance, you have to walk through the top-of-the-ship Surfside Cafe buffet. There is no side way around the buffet to reach it.

This, in turn, requires you to run the gauntlet of Norwegian staff at the buffet entrance wanting you to wash your hands every time you want to move between the pool area and the go-kart area. They think you're there for dining.

Unfortunately, I suspect this will create some traffic jams in the buffet once the ship is fully up and running.

The suite complex is the best of any big ship

Speaking of the Haven suite area on Norwegian Prima, there's really nothing like it.

Norwegian has been at the forefront of the trend of big-ship operators putting exclusive "ship within a ship" suite complexes on their vessels, and the line has taken the concept to the next level with Norwegian Prima.

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.

This is another part of the "elevation" of Norwegian Prima. For a greater percentage of passengers on this ship than any other big-ship vessel at sea, Norwegian Prima can offer a truly upscale experience in a private, hidden-away complex.

For cruisers who want the sort of luxury experience that normally only is found on small luxury ships but also access to all the amenities that big ships have to offer, this is now the premier offering at sea.

The outdoor lounge area at the Haven includes a stunning infinity pool that appears to flow right off the back of the vessel. Its lounge chairs are plush and upscale. It offers private cabanas.

Inside the complex, there's a private restaurant so you never have to eat in the same room with non-Haven passengers.

I didn't get to spend the night in the Haven this week or experience its amenities firsthand, so I don't know if its bigger size results in any service issues. Will there be more queues for the Haven's private concierge desk than on other Norwegian ships with smaller Haven complexes, for instance? But with roughly 214 guests staying in the complex at any given time, assuming two passengers per suite, it's still an intimate venue.

If you think of it as a luxury ship plopped down on top of a big mass-market ship, it's still smaller and more intimate than most. For comparison, Seabourn Venture, the new ship that just debuted from luxury line Seabourn, is built for 264 passengers.

An unusual new bar promotes 'zero waste'

The Metropolitan bar is billed as the first sustainable bar at sea, and it offers a fabulously odd mix of handmade drinks that incorporate leftover food items on the ship, such as day-old croissants and banana peels.

I tried three of these cutting-edge cocktails during my strange night out at Norwegian Prima's new Metropolitan Bar , and I can attest the drinks taste better than you might first imagine.

Cabins are sleek and modern

It's not just the public areas of Norwegian Prima that are more stylish — its cabins are, too.

Also designed by Studio Dado, they have a clean-lined, minimalist look of the sort you find at sophisticated contemporary hotels on land. The colors are muted with warm light browns and creams punctured with cool blue accents — a sharp departure from the bold color palettes found on many earlier Norwegian cruise ships. Furniture features luxurious stone and light-wood finishes, and texture plays a big role.

In standard balcony cabins, the wall behind the bed is lined with a striking art piece featuring nature and butterflies — a focal point.

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. I was impressed.

But as lovely as they are, the basic rooms on Norwegian Prima do draw one quibble from me: their lack of adequate storage space.

In their effort to make the rooms as minimalist and spacious feeling as possible, the designers seem to have overlooked the real need for lots of hanging space and drawers in cabins on a ship that will likely be operating seven-day sailings for much of its life.

In my basic balcony cabin, there was just a relatively small area of built-in closet space. It's enough for me this week, as I'm traveling solo. But it would be tight if my wife were here with me, and we both had suitcases full of clothes for a week.

The ship has an innovative food hall

Indulge Food Hall is one of the only food halls at sea, and it's fabulous — if a little tight, spacewise. (In a perfect world, Norwegian would make it even bigger on the next ships in this series). It offers a wide range of quick-serve food venues offering everything from Mexican to Indian cuisine.

You can mix and match what you want from any of the venues and order them to your table with a few taps on the tablet that you'll find at every table.

Which dishes are the best? Read about my attempt to test every dish at its 11 venues in four days to find out.

The promenade deck is one of the best at sea

A notable element of Norwegian Prima (and the sister Prima-class ships that will follow) is that it has an unusually wide wraparound promenade that is filled with resort-like outdoor lounge areas.

Dubbed "Ocean Boulevard" and located on Deck 8 — much closer to the waterline of the ship than the lounge areas at the vessel's top, which are located on decks 17 and 18 — it offers unusually luxurious lounge chairs in some places (think: extra-thick cushions), sunbeds and swinging seats.

On both sides of Ocean Boulevard, there are infinity pools as well as shallow dipping pools.

There's also alfresco seating for several of the ship's restaurants including Los Lobos, Onda by Scarpetta, The Local and Indulge Food Hall.

Norwegian has had promenades on earlier ships that have offered outdoor restaurant seating and additional features. The line has been a pioneer among big-ship lines in taking promenades to a new level by making them wider and adding venues to draw passengers out onto them. But nothing Norwegian has done yet compares to this.

Not only is the Ocean Boulevard on Norwegian Prima roomier than ever, but it'll absorb a lot of passengers on sea days who otherwise would be packing the top decks of the ship. From a practical point of view, that's a big deal.

Bottom line

Norwegian Cruise Line isn't meant to be a high-end brand, but its new Norwegian Prima offers a lot of high-end touches. From the massive Haven suite complex at its back to its stunning, sculptural central atrium and the striking designs of many of its eateries, the ship is home to an array of venues and experiences that truly are elevated as compared to what you know from previous Norwegian vessels.

TPG's Gene Sloan has been reporting live from Norwegian Prima as it sails from Reykjavik to Amsterdam on a non-revenue preview voyage for media and travel agents. You can find all of his dispatches on his author's page .

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Norwegian CEO Sommer: ‘New Era’ as Company Takes Delivery of Prima

• July 29, 2022

Norwegian Cruise Line today took delivery of its newest ship, the Norwegian Prima, in Marghera, Venice at the Fincantieri shipyard.

Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line said: “Today we usher in a thrilling new era in cruising as we celebrate the delivery of Norwegian Prima, the long-anticipated first ship in our extraordinary new Prima Class. She is a true testament to our Guest First philosophy as well as our commitment to deliver unforgettable experiences that exceed expectations. We thank our wonderful partners at Fincantieri, whose coveted craftsmanship, expertise, and dedication, helped bring Norwegian Prima to life. We cannot wait to welcome our guests onboard.”

This milestone marks the arrival of the first ship in Prima Class that will see six new ships delivered through 2027, the company said. 

Present at the landmark event was Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd; Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line; Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of the Merchant Ships Division of Fincantieri; as well as other notable NCLH and Fincantieri executives. The delivery celebration was followed by the traditional flag exchange ceremony.

Photo: Harry Sommer, President and CEO, NCL with Captain Roger Gustavsen at Norwegian Prima’s Delivery ceremony

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Norwegian cruise line officially welcomes leading-edge norwegian prima.

– Katy Perry, Global Superstar and Godmother to Norwegian Prima, Delivers Memorable Performance Following Christening Ceremony –

– NCL's Newest Addition Makes History as  First Major Cruise Ship Christened in Reykjavik, Iceland –

REYKJAVIK, Iceland , Aug. 29, 2022 /CNW/ -- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, christened its newest ship Norwegian Prima , on Aug. 27, 2022, which made history as the first major cruise ship christened in Reykjavík, Iceland.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here:  https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8998059-ncl-norwegian-prima-christening-katy-perry/

The first of six ships in the groundbreaking Prima Class , Norwegian Prima, debuted to more than 2,500 guests who enjoyed an immersive experience in the beautiful Icelandic capital and a christening celebration like no other.

"With her stunning design and unique offerings, Norwegian Prima is in a league of her own," said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. "As the industry's most spacious new cruise ship featuring 'only-available-on-Prima-experiences,' she is continuing NCL's legacy of industry firsts. We wanted to launch Norwegian Prima in a location just as special and unique as she is, and Reykjavik's striking landscape is the perfect setting for such a milestone occasion. We thank the Reykjavik community for welcoming us with open arms."

At 965 feet (294 meters long) and more than 143,535 tons with capacity for 3,100 guests at double occupancy, Norwegian Prima offers the highest staffing levels and space ratio of any contemporary or premium cruise ship. She also boasts the largest variety of suite categories available at sea as well as a redefined The Haven by Norwegian , NCL's ultra-premium keycard only access ship-within-a-ship concept. Her variety of recreational activities including the fastest slides at sea - The Rush and The Drop - and the Prima Speedway, the first three-level racetrack at sea, provide guests with adrenaline-pumping moments. Spaces like Ocean Boulevard , the 44,000 square foot outdoor walk way which wraps around the entire ship; The Concourse, which boasts a multi-million dollar outdoor sculpture garden; and expansive pool decks and infinity style pools at Infinity Beach , offer guests a chance to slow down and relax. To learn more about all Norwegian Prima offers, please click here .

"We have been eagerly anticipating and preparing for this special event for several years, so we are delighted to embark on NCL's next chapter with Norwegian Prima," said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. "It's been a joy to see our vision come to life with this landmark christening ceremony, which sets the tone for the unparalleled holidays guests will enjoy for years to come. We are so thankful to our team members and partners worldwide who have made Norwegian Prima a stunning reality."

Guests at the christening ceremony were treated to a show-stopping performance by popular Icelandic group and 2021 "Eurovision Song Contest" fan favorites, Daði og Gagnamagnið (pronounced "Dah-they Oh Gack-no-Mak-ne"), before Norwegian Prima's very own godmother, Katy Perry took to the main stage to officially name and christen the vessel with the ceremonial champagne bottle break across the ship's hull. The three-level Prima Theater & Club stage was then transformed into a whimsical backdrop where guests enjoyed a powerhouse performance of some of Perry's chart-topping hits including "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Roar," and "Firework."

"It was so much fun to sprinkle some fairy godmother dust on Norwegian Prima and send her on her way to sail the high seas," said Katy Perry. "I always appreciate a family vacation and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I was happy to wish all the vacationing guests a happy bon voyage!"

Prior to the Christening ceremony, guests were surprised with an authentic Icelandic experience at the HARPA  cultural center. Attendees were treated to a captivating LED light show by Artist Olafur Eliasson as well as performances by Icelandic singer-songwriter Bríet who joined the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in an awe-inspiring show. 

Norwegian Prima will depart on inaugural voyages to Northern Europe  from the Netherlands , Denmark  and England beginning Sept. 3, 2022, before making her way to the U.S. She will then sail voyages to the Caribbean from New York City, Galveston, Texas , and Miami  in October and November before settling into her homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla., and Galveston, Texas for the 2023 and 2024 cruise season.

To access Norwegian Prima's christening press kit, please click here . To download high-res images and videos from Norwegian Prima's christening activities, please click here . For more information about Norwegian Cruise Line or to book a cruise, please visit www.ncl.com  or call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784) or contact a travel professional.

ABOUT NORWEGIAN PRIMA Norwegian Prima is the first of six vessels from Norwegian Cruise Line's Prima Class , the Brand's first new class of ships in nearly 10 years. Launched in August 2022, Norwegian Prima is the industry's most spacious new cruise ship with the most outdoor deck space and expansive accommodations of any new build. Built in Marghera, Italy by world-renowned Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, Norwegian Prima is 965 feet long (294 meters long), 143,535 gross tons and able to accommodate 3,100 guests at double occupancy. The vessel has 20 decks, featuring nearly 1,600 staterooms, 18 dining venues and 17 bars and lounges. The ship features striking hull artwork created by Italian graffiti artist Manuel Di Rita, known commonly as "Peeta," and was designed by world-class design and architectural teams including Italian designer Piero Lissoni and powerhouse architectural firms Rockwell Group, SMC Design, Tillberg Design of Sweden, YSA DESIGN and Miami-based Studio Dado who conceptualized and composed the aesthetic of various restaurants, staterooms and public areas on board. Norwegian Prima offers guests exciting itineraries, the highest staffing levels and space ratio of any new cruise ship in the contemporary or premium cruise category, and Brand-first experiences with Ocean Boulevard, Indulge Food Hall, The Concourse, Infinity Beach, Oceanwalk and the Penrose Atrium. Norwegian Prima also features multiple first-at-sea innovations including a three-story transformational theater-nightclub, the Prima Theater & Club; its three-level racetrack with the Prima Speedway; the fastest slides at sea, The Drop and Rush; and the cruise industry's first sustainable cocktail bar with The Metropolitan Bar. 

About Norwegian Cruise Line As the innovator in global cruise travel, Norwegian Cruise Line has been breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising for 55 years. Most notably, the cruise line revolutionized the industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal vacation on their preferred schedule with no assigned dining and entertainment times and no formal dress codes. Today, its fleet of 18 contemporary ships sail to nearly 400 of the world's most desirable destinations, including Great Stirrup Cay, the company's private island in the Bahamas and its resort destination Harvest Caye in Belize.  Norwegian Cruise Line not only provides superior guest service from land to sea, but also offers a wide variety of award-winning entertainment and dining options as well as a range of accommodations across the fleet, including solo-traveler staterooms, club balcony suites, spa-suites and The Haven by Norwegian®, the company's ship-within-a-ship concept. For additional information or to book a cruise, contact a travel professional, call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784) or visit www.ncl.com . For the latest news and exclusive content, visit the NCL Newsroom and follow Norwegian Cruise Line on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube @NorwegianCruiseLine; and Twitter @CruiseNorwegian.

SOURCE Norwegian Cruise Line

Released August 29, 2022

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Prime Time on Norwegian Prima: The Cruise Web’s Review

by The Cruise Web Team October 18, 2022, 3:04 pm

In early October, many of The Cruise Web’s finest packed their bags and embarked on an exclusive first-look event on the all-new Norwegian Prima, the first ship in Norwegian Cruise Line ’s best class of ship EVER! From the second the ship came into view at the pier in New York City, everyone knew Norwegian had stepped their game up and once onboard, well, we’ll let you keep reading and find out just how special of a ship Norwegian Prima is, from cruising experts in their own words! Below, you’ll find the highlights of 4 days onboard Norwegian Prima!

Norwegian Prima Highlights

NCL’s Haven gives you the freedom to enjoy all the action, choices, and excitement aboard, but then escape to the quiet elegance of your Haven pool, lounge, restaurant, bar, suite or private balcony, for a vacation that’s the best of both worlds! – Frans H., President

My favorite part of the Prima was the Vibe Beach Club, very relaxing, stylish, beautifully presented cocktails and lovely, comfy furniture. The views from that area, especially while docked in Manhattan were spectacular. I also enjoyed the many different evening entertainment venues, it was action packed full of different types from karaoke, game shows, rock shows, comedians at Improv at Sea, and of course a fantastic Nightclub. – Julie A., Senior Manager

My most memorable experience was ‘Indulge’. The Indulge Food Hall offers a vast variety of made to order dishes from a variety of menus. The way it works is you find a table where there is an iPad and sit. It does not matter which venue you are seated, ALL of the establishments  are listed on the iPad (unless you are seated at a counter, then you will only find what is listed for that particular restaurant). You just go down the list , pick what you want, hit order and they will bring your custom made lunch or dinner to you. We had the Crab Tostada (from the Tapas Bar) and it was FABULOUS! So, when onboard the Prima , try Indulge Food Hall. You will not be disappointed! – Gloria H., Cruise Consultant

The Galaxy Pavilion is a once in a lifetime source of entertainment all in one. There’s something for every family member to enjoy. On Deck 18, you have the dry slides on the side of the ship where you can see yourself hover over the ocean. The go karts felt like real life Mario Karts. I spun around in circles as if I was in a video game. The live music and shows were one of a kind. So good! Prima has a wide variety of venues, family friendly activities and modern design elements throughout. Regardless of age or style of cruisers, everyone will believe they are getting their money’s worth for experiencing this luxurious tech savvy ship. All in all; it was a 10/10 cruise ship and experience. I will be bringing my family on this ship in the future. Everyone who is a someone needs to experience this ship for themselves! – Kimberly M., Cruise Consultant

After cruising on the Norwegian PR1MA inaugural from NYC to Halifax, NS, all I can say is WOW! The ship was beautiful and well thought out. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and entertainment options onboard the ship, especially the Indulge Food Hall. On the top decks of the ship, there is fun for all ages. The Go-Kart track is a highlight (make a reservation early), and the mini-golf and parlor game options are great! The VR game room, Galaxy Pavilion, is a great way to spend a few hours while onboard. In the living quarters, the standout feature is the improved bathrooms. The shower and sink are larger, and the width provided me an extremely comfortable grooming area. – Max P., Team Leader, Cruise Consultant

Prima in one word is – options.  Prima offers a surplus of dining, activity, entertainment, and accommodation options.  Personally, the French restaurant Le Bistro for dining, the Stadium area for fun and competitive activities, The Price is Right game show for entertainment, and the Haven Suites for accommodations! –   Michael H., Director of Sales

Wow! Norwegian’s Prima is just incredible. Personally, the highlight for me was the level of service onboard. It was like a luxury cruise! One of the staff members let me in on a little secret – Norwegian hand-picked the best of the best crew members in their fleet and brought them together on Prima and it shows. If you’re looking for a luxury cruise without the luxury price tag, Prima is the way to go! As for onboard experience, I loved the spacious, beautiful stateroom and look at this view of Halifax, Nova Scotia from the balcony!   – Michael J., Assistant Manager

During our recent voyage on the NCL Prima, my family had an amazing time in the Galaxy Pavilion.  I’ve never experienced something like this on a ship before!  The Prima has a large section dedicated entirely to virtual reality experiences, ranging from a dance competition, to driving Formula 1 cars, to fighting Zombies in 3D!  My husband’s favorites were the life-sized rally truck simulator and the spaceship.  My daughter loved the sports simulator and I was a big fan of the escape room.  You could easily spend an entire day in there and still not experience it all.  It’s so much fun! – Karolina S., Vice President

There you have it – from the experts themselves! Above, there is over 100 years of combined experience in the cruise industry, so we know a thing or two! And there’s one thing we know for sure – you must experience Norwegian Prima for yourself! If you’re a seasoned Norwegian guest – get ready for an incredibly elevated experience. New to Norwegian or cruising in general? Whew – you are in for a treat.

Take a look at all of the available sailings onboard Norwegian Prima in the coming years!

Once word gets out about how truly exciting this ship is, it’ll sell out fast so call us at   1-800-377-9383 to start planning! Who better to plan your vacation than someone with first-hand experience onboard the same ship on which you are sailing? Don’t wait – call now and experience all there is onboard Norwegian Prima!

-The Cruise Web Team

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Norwegian Prima: 9 Must-Know Things About the New Ship

Looking for a reason to get excited about sailing again? How about the introduction of a major new cruise ship from one of the biggest lines in the world… that’s wholly different than anything else in its fleet? That’s what we’re getting with Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship — Norwegian Prima.

While cruise lines often roll out new ships that are essentially carbon copies of past ships, with entirely new classes of vessels the lines get the chance to completely redefine what’s possible at sea.

That’s exactly what NCL is doing with Prima. From changing the entire design of the ship from anything else in the fleet, to the amenities offered onboard (infinity pools?!), Prima promises to be a dramatic departure from anything else.

Here’s what to know about this brand-new cruise ship.

Prima Is The First of SIX New Ships in its Class

Norwegian Prima is the first ship of the brand-new Prima class — the cruise line’s first new class of ships in nearly a decade. In total, the cruise line plans for five more Prima-class vessels, meaning that relatively soon there will likely be one of these ships sailing from your favorite cruise port.

With six ships, that would make the Prima class the largest group of ships within Norwegian’s fleet — overtaking the four ships in the Breakaway-Plus class. The current schedule is for one new ship to roll out yearly from 2022-2027, built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.

Prima Is the Line’s First New Ship Since Encore

Norwegian Encore made massive headlines and saw lots of fanfare when it first sailed in 2019. Then, the health crisis hit. The steady stream of new ships that the industry had seen for years dried up. By the time Prima is launched in 2022, it will be the first ship added to Norwegian’s fleet since Encore — a span of three years.

From 2013 through 2019, Norwegian Cruise Line had introduced a new ship each year and plans to return to that schedule again starting in 2022 for the foreseeable future, helping to make up for lost time.

Prima Will Be Smaller Than Previous Ships

It’s rare — though not unheard of — for cruise lines to downsize their ships. Over the past 10-15 years, the trend has definitely been that new ships continue to increase in size . For instance, Carnival’s new Mardi Gras is by far the largest ship in that cruise line’s fleet.

That makes it interesting that after years of increasing ship size, NCL is going smaller with Prima. The ship will be “just” 965 feet long, carry 3,215 passengers, and weigh 142,500 gross tons.

By comparison, Norwegian Encore is nearly 1,100 feet, holds 4,000 passengers and weighs 169,000 gross tons. In other words, Encore is about 20% larger (based on tonnage) compared to Prima.

There are some concerns with ever-increasing ship size and the ability to dock in certain ports. However, the smaller size also seems to fit in with a new focus on luxury in the Prima class.

Prima Puts Luxury at the Top of the List

In general the mass-market cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian have a goal to appeal to everyone. There are tons of things for families and adults to do (several NCL ships even have go-kart tracks), and the feel is nice without being stuffy.

With Norwegian Prima, it appears that the cruise line is putting new emphasis on luxury. In fact, the first images of the ship are much more in line with luxury brands like Celebrity than the mass-market brands like Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

For one, the ship will have 13 different suite categories, along with the largest-ever standard cabins from the line. There also is a renewed focus on The Haven, which is the “resort within a resort” that offers exclusive access to certain areas for passengers paying up for these rooms.

Then there is simply the design. Renderings show high-end design with modern style. Go-karts and waterslides don’t appear, although it’s not clear if these or other kid-friendly features are axed completely. The result is a ship that looks much more luxurious and focused on adults than rivals in the mass-market space.

An Even Greater Emphasis on the Outdoors

One of the features of newer Norwegian ships has been the emphasis on the outdoors. Every ship you’ll ever sail has a pool deck where people can get out and soak up the sun. But for many ships, that’s the extent of the outdoor area.

For many ships in the fleet, NCL has put a renewed emphasis on being outside. This includes outdoor dining and promenades set out from the body of the ship to give both nice views and sunshine.

Prima looks to do even more. First is Ocean Boulevard. Wrapping around deck 8, this outdoor area measures 44,000 square feet. It allows passengers to walk around the entire ship while still being close to the sea. There is also Infinity Beach, which puts infinity pools on lower decks on each side of the ship, two glass bridges, an outdoor sculpture garden (with $2 million worth of sculptures) and an outdoor open-air lounge at the front of the ship called La Terraza.

A New Concept With The Indulge Food Hall

It’s normal for a ship to have a number of restaurants all around the ship. What’s unusual is that Prima will introduce a new dining option known as the Indulge Food Hall. Here, the ship has 11 different places to eat (ranging from BBQ to rotisserie to salads and desserts), along with a mix of both indoor and outdoor seating.

This hall now serves as a hub for grabbing a bite to eat, but is far from the only place to dine. A number of other options are also available including The Local, Onda by Scarpetta, and Los Lobos.

On previous ships NCL did a great job in managing outdoor dining and the challenges such as the sun and wind. Prima looks to take that one step further with the new food hall, while also offering lots of options.

Infinity Pools Come to Prima

Frankly, most pools on cruise ships aren’t that memorable. Given the weight of water high-up on the ship, pools are relatively small and shallow, plopped in the middle of the deck.

Norwegian Prima is changing that. It will feature several infinity pools around the ship with clear edges offering a spot to take a dip that’s unlike anything else at sea. True, the pools still will be modest in size, but they will offer an unforgettable experience, especially with the pools being on lower decks, closer to the ocean.

Perhaps the most interesting location to take a swim is in The Haven. The exclusive pool for guests in these rooms is at the top of the ship at the very back, giving you an uninterrupted view as the ship is in port or at sea.

Prima Starts Sailing in Summer 2022

The current plan is for Prima to make her debut in the summer, with cruises beginning in Europe and the United Kingdom. The first public cruise sails from Amsterdam, on August 17, 2022. It will take passengers around Northern Europe, including stops in Belgium, Norway, and Iceland. The 8-day trip currently starts at $1,539 per person for an interior cabin.

As mentioned earlier, this will mark the first new ship from NCL in approximately three years, putting a premium on the chance to sail.

Prima Will Sail From a Number of Ports Before Settling Home in Port Canaveral

If you want a chance to sail on Prima, then you just might find a departure nearby. That’s because the ship has an odd schedule starting out, departing from several different ports around the world.

As mentioned earlier, it will sail from Amsterdam, but also depart from England to New York. From there, it will sail a trip to Galveston. Departing Galveston, Prima sails to Miami before sailing a handful of cruises and then homeporting in Port Canaveral until 2023.

Even then, Prima will be on the move in 2023. She will leave Port Canaveral, offering several trips from New York before moving back across the Atlantic.

Bottom Line About Prima

Put simply, Prima is not just another Norwegian Cruise Line ship. The ship and the entire class take a turn from the rest of the fleet, with an experience that definitely seems more upscale and adult-oriented. Instead of putting NCL in competition with Royal Caribbean and Carnival, it seems more in line with what you’d see from Celebrity or Princess.

Furthermore, the ship offers more in the way of outdoor experiences, with a number of new design features not seen in the Norwegian fleet or industry as a whole. When she sets sail, there’s going to be a lot for cruise fans to be excited about.

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Prima Cruise Director is:

By YVRteacher , August 3, 2022 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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He comes from Celebrity and did his first NCL contract on the Getaway.  He is on board the Prima now and is showing lots of “sneak peak” videos on IG.

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Cruiserconnoisseur25

Do you know what his last is? I can’t find him on IG.

1 hour ago, Cruiserconnoisseur25 said: Do you know what his last is? I can’t find him on IG.

I believe they are referring to Simon Akinwolere

aubreyc1988

He is a great CD 😄  

Any word on Haven concierge?

or the housekeeper on deck 7, inside cabin?

9 minutes ago, dcs1989 said: Any word on Haven concierge?

Is "Haven" needed? It isn't like there is a non-Haven concierge onboard.

6 minutes ago, LGW59 said: or the housekeeper on deck 7, inside cabin?

Might be funnier if there were inside cabins on deck 7. Or any cabins on deck 7.

4 minutes ago, SeaShark said:   Is "Haven" needed? It isn't like there is a non-Haven concierge onboard.     Might be funnier if there were inside cabins on deck 7. Or any cabins on deck 7.

It is "needed" to maximize all the perks the haven has to offer and having that level of knowledge of the ship / ports to help with your bookings is invaluable.  Is it necessary to enjoy your cruise? Obviously not.  But it is a service provided to Haven bookings and you can definitely notice the difference between a good concierge and a bad concierge when you utilize one so it can make your cruise that much over the top if you have one of the best (which they usually put on the newer ships).  

2 minutes ago, dcs1989 said:   It is "needed" to maximize all the perks the haven has to offer and having that level of knowledge of the ship / ports to help with your bookings is invaluable.  Is it necessary to enjoy your cruise? Obviously not.  But it is a service provided to Haven bookings and you can definitely notice the difference between a good concierge and a bad concierge when you utilize one so it can make your cruise that much over the top if you have one of the best (which they usually put on the newer ships).  

You misunderstand...

Is is necessary to use the word "Haven" to describe the concierge? Not a question of whether or not the concierge is necessary. (Notice that I didn't have to say "Haven concierge" in that last sentence)

Instead of saying "Any word on the Haven concierge?", could someone just say "Any word on the concierge?"

It isn't like someone would ask the latter and the response would be "Which concierge?"

8 minutes ago, SeaShark said:   You misunderstand...   Is is necessary to use the word "Haven" to describe the concierge? Not a question of whether or not the concierge is necessary. (Notice that I didn't have to say "Haven concierge" in that last sentence)   Instead of saying "Any word on the Haven concierge?", could someone just say "Any word on the concierge?"   It isn't like someone would ask the latter and the response would be "Which concierge?"

Lol - your reaching.  It's not like its a tautology.  I personally like to be as clear as possible in an online setting.  

The better question would be was your response necessary?  You have a good day :).  Don't be so bitter :)!

36 minutes ago, SeaShark said:   Is "Haven" needed? It isn't like there is a non-Haven concierge onboard.     Might be funnier if there were inside cabins on deck 7. Or any cabins on deck 7.

Unsurprisingly you miss the point. 🥳

14 minutes ago, dcs1989 said:   Lol - your reaching.  It's not like its a tautology.  I personally like to be as clear as possible in an online setting.     The better question would be was your response necessary?  You have a good day :).  Don't be so bitter :)!

Sure the response was necessary, but only to correct your obvious misunderstanding. 

Question, does everyone know what a butler is, or do I have to refer to them as "Haven butlers"?

And don't be so judgmental...people aren't as bitter as you assume.

10 minutes ago, LGW59 said: Unsurprisingly you miss the point. 🥳

Or the point was poorly made... 🙄

The concierge is David Contreras.  

4 hours ago, SeaShark said:   Sure the response was necessary, but only to correct your obvious misunderstanding.    Question, does everyone know what a butler is, or do I have to refer to them as "Haven butlers"?   And don't be so judgmental...people aren't as bitter as you assume.

The butler is the one who"always did it". Haven't you watched any murder mysteries?

luvsboozecruises

6 hours ago, SeaShark said:   You misunderstand...   Is is necessary to use the word "Haven" to describe the concierge? Not a question of whether or not the concierge is necessary. (Notice that I didn't have to say "Haven concierge" in that last sentence)   Instead of saying "Any word on the Haven concierge?", could someone just say "Any word on the concierge?"   It isn't like someone would ask the latter and the response would be "Which concierge?"

OMG,, 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

Coastalbreezes

17 hours ago, jemz1949 said: The concierge is David Contreras.    

Alongside David will be Virginia Brotherton sharing concierge duties for a few months.

1 hour ago, Coastalbreezes said: Alongside David will be Virginia Brotherton sharing concierge duties for a few months.

Others will disagree, but for us, the two worst we've ever encountered on NCL.  Well, maybe except Ruth but she left.

Where is Patrick when you need him?  Again, others will disagree.  At the end of the day, just shows inconsistency in the Haven and suites.

4 hours ago, Coastalbreezes said: Alongside David will be Virginia Brotherton sharing concierge duties for a few months.

Virginia is quite good, too!

Nice line up of Concierges on the ship, it seems….particularly given Adrian has left NCL.

Cruising Lynne

I am excited to see Simon again in October. He was the cruise director on our March cruise on Getaway. I love to see what Simon is going to wear each day. He is definitely one of the more interesting and fun cruise directors. Woo Hoo! {Don't care who is concierge).

4 hours ago, dexddd said: Others will disagree, but for us, the two worst we've ever encountered on NCL.  Well, maybe except Ruth but she left.   Where is Patrick when you need him?  Again, others will disagree.  At the end of the day, just shows inconsistency in the Haven and suites.

I don't think we've ever had Virginia, but we have not had good experiences with David. We had one were he was "meh" and another where we looked at each other at the end of the cruise and asked what we did to him in order to make him so mean/unpleasant to us.

And as an FYI, we generally ask very little of the concierge. I take care of our reservations before we get on the ship and we only ask for some friendliness or maybe to change a reservation if it is needed. We got neither from him and our tip reflected that.

12 hours ago, dexddd said: Others will disagree, but for us, the two worst we've ever encountered on NCL.  Well, maybe except Ruth but she left.   Where is Patrick when you need him?  Again, others will disagree.  At the end of the day, just shows inconsistency in the Haven and suites.

Meanwhile Patrick was always one of the most divisive concierges in terms of opinions here.  We didn’t like him at all!   😁

Some people are friendly with the Concierges, some are not.  Personally, I make it a point to engage in small talk and banter when I first board and meet the concierges.  Small thing, but I think they understand I'm not going to be a PITA to them. And, that I'm pretty genial.

It helps to say "please" and "thank you", too.  Just generally be polite.

All that has gone a long way in how I'm treated by the Concierges (and the Butlers, too).

On 8/11/2022 at 10:54 AM, brookie848 said:   I don't think we've ever had Virginia, but we have not had good experiences with David. We had one were he was "meh" and another where we looked at each other at the end of the cruise and asked what we did to him in order to make him so mean/unpleasant to us.   And as an FYI, we generally ask very little of the concierge. I take care of our reservations before we get on the ship and we only ask for some friendliness or maybe to change a reservation if it is needed. We got neither from him and our tip reflected that.

That's exactly our experience.  We don't normally ask anything of the concierge as we book online.  We first saw David in holding area in terminal where a lady and son were hugging him and you'd think it was his mother.

Once on ship, very few encounters from him but when we did it was a frown.

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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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6 Things NCL Changed for Norwegian Viva & 3 Things We Wish They Had

Norwegian Viva, the second ship in Norwegian Cruise Line's Prima Class of ship, quietly debuted in the Mediterranean last week. A near carbon copy of Norwegian Prima, Viva continues the line's move towards a more upscale, sophisticated style of cruising.

While the line was unable to make any largescale changes to the ship – anything more than a tweak will come with Prima Class III – the line did make some changes that improve the overall experience.

"We learned a lot from Prima," said Marzena Slodyczka, cruise director onboard Norwegian Viva, at a Q&A for media during the inaugural sailing. "We knew that we wanted to make it better for our guests, a better experience and make things even bigger."

Here are the six changes NCL made, along with three things we wish they had changed.

What NCL changed

"It [Starbucks] was not as popular as we expected," said Nelson Martins, general manager onboard Norwegian Viva, during the Q&A. "It was taking a lot of space so we removed that and have increased the capacity, almost by 90 seats."

When we double-checked the number, we were told, it was only 31 new seats that were added.

A handful of seating outside Indulge was also added, off to the side of Soleil Bar.

There's also a new ice cream "palace," where cruisers can enjoy self-service soft serve ice cream any time Indulge is open.

2. Rotating Dining Room Menu One change that NCL made when Norwegian Prima debuted was to switch the main dining rooms to a single set menu that never rotated. It was controversial from the get-go, with several advisors on Prima telling us it was something their clients weren't going to like.

The change has since been scrapped and Norwegian Viva is back to a traditional rotating menu, offering plenty of selection for everyone, including several vegetarian options at every meal.

3. Minor Cabin Tweaks For the most part, the cabins on Norwegian Viva are identical to those on Norwegian Prima (excepting different art work). However, NCL was able to make a few minor tweaks, two as a result of cruiser feedback from Prima.

Most notably, cruisers will find a brighter vanity table light and better water pressure, Martins said.

NCL also updated the mattresses on Viva to be even more comfortable.

4. More Capacity in Syd Norman's and Improv Norwegian Viva (and Prima) were built based on a design concept that emphasizes more, small spaces over larger lounges and bars. This includes secondary entertainment venues, like Syd Norman's Pour House and Improv at Sea.

On the one hand, this provides a great lively intimate atmosphere for those who get into shows. On the other hand, it limits how many people can get in, making popular interactive rock-n-roll shows at Syd Norman's, in particular, standing room only.

As at Indulge, NCL rearranged the space at both Syd Norman's and Improv at Sea to make more room for additional capacity. It's not a lot and both still get quite crowded.

5. Opened Pool Deck Space Changing the footprint of the pool deck wasn't possible for Norwegian Viva, but NCL was able to reconfigure the layout of the deck chairs. In particular, the line got rid of some bolted down high chairs, allowing the crew to open up the space around the pool for more dancing during deck parties.

6. Covered Outdoor Smoking Another change that was a result of passenger feedback was to the Deck 18 smoking area. On Norwegian Prima, it's an open air space with no weather protection.

"We realized guests that smoke, they still need comfort," Martins said.

In addition to some new seating, NCL put a roof over the space and a glass partition to protect smokers from rain and wind.

What we wish NCL had changed 1. No More Metal Baskets We said it on Prima and we'll say it again. We are not a fan of the metal baskets that NCL is using instead of drawers in the closets.

They're simply not practical. You have to be careful what you put in them, as the metal can snag on delicate fabrics, and things like socks can easily fall through.

Even just swapping out two of the four metal baskets for two drawers would have been an improvement.

2. The Local Bar & Grill Split On Norwegian Prima and Viva, the Local Bar & Grill has literally been split into two separate venues, divided by a wall.

To one side the Grill has tables (inside and out) for sit-down service of The Local's casual – and complimentary – 24/7 menu. On the other side, a hallway-style bar has several TVs showing sports games. There is comfy seating in booth-like spaces opposite the bar (people pass between the bar and the seating to get to and from Indulge). People sitting in these areas can order from The Local menu, but there's only one server and depending on how far away from the bar you are, you may have to chase the waiter down to get service.

All in all, the split design robs the NCL staple of the pub vibe NCL loyalists love.

Sadly, even knowing that NCL will be able to make larger changes on the third Prima Class ship, there's not much that can be done to bring this space together, simply because of the ship's super structure that requires the wall in between the two venues.

Instead, we'd love to see NCL either relocate The Local Bar & Grill to someplace else, or rename the bar area and officially sunder the two.

3. Bigger Main Pool, Free Adult Only Space There's a trend among several of the premium cruise brands that's seeing the main pools shrink, and Norwegian Viva (and Prima) are no exception. Very simply, on the third Prima Class ship, we'd love to see the size of the main pool grow by a few feet. While the days of six feet of social distancing are behind us, it'd be nice to get some space back in what's often a too-packed pool.

And while we're at it, can NCL make one of the two infinity pool adults only? What should be a relaxing spot to soak away a day in port isn't very relaxing when a bunch of kids are splashing about and jumping into the small pools.

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A roundup of the rebating and advertising policies for each CLIA-member cruise line. 

At least two sailings on the Danube River have been canceled due to unusually high waters.

The program introduces a revamped Tour Conductor Credit, offers shipboard credits or bonus commissions, and more.

The new "guide" will include a personalized welcome letter, pre-cruise info, reusable luggage tags, and more.

Around 140 passenger were evacuated from an as-yet-unidentified river cruise ship on the Danube River.

The line also added a new Southeast Regional Sales Director.

The best Norwegian Cruise Line ship for every type of traveler

W hat's the best Norwegian Cruise Line ship? Over the years, I've sailed on all but three of Norwegian's 19 vessels, and my personal favorite is Norwegian Prima. I love its stylish design and upscale feel, as well as its wide mix of eateries, bars and entertainment.

Still, Norwegian Prima isn't necessarily the best Norwegian Cruise Line ship for you. Whether you'll have a better time on one of the other 18 vessels in the Norwegian fleet will depend a lot on the type of traveler you are.

Norwegian has some vessels, such as Norwegian Encore, that are loaded with family-friendly attractions such as waterparks and go-kart tracks that are perfect for families with teens and tweens. To me, Norwegian Encore is an even better choice than Norwegian Prima for families with school-age kids.

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Other Norwegian cruise ships, such as Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Sun, have specific features that might make them better options for solo travelers or retirees. Certain Norwegian ships are best for budget travelers, while others are best for luxury travelers.

In short, the best Norwegian cruise ship for you will depend on a bunch of factors, and which ship is best for a trip with your family might not be your top pick for a couple's cruise or girlfriends' getaway.

Here we list our top picks for the best Norwegian cruise ships for five different types of travelers.

Norwegian Encore: Best for families

The best Norwegian Cruise Line ships for families, hands down, are the four giant, activity-packed ships of its Breakaway-Plus class: Norwegian Encore , Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Escape. Of these, Norwegian Encore — the biggest of them all — is our top pick.

At 169,116 tons and carrying 3,958 passengers, Norwegian Encore is the largest ship in the Norwegian fleet. That means it has the most space for the many over-the-top family fun zones that are at the core of the four Breakaway-Plus vessels — a series of ships that was specifically designed with families in mind.

For starters, Norwegian Encore is home to some of the most thrilling waterslides at sea, as well as a kiddie splash zone that will have your little ones squealing with delight. But those are just the appetizers when it comes to family fun on the top deck of the ship.

Norwegian Encore is also the setting for one of the biggest go-kart racing tracks at sea . (Yes, this is a thing — Norwegian debuted the concept on its Breakaway-Plus-class ships and now has a go-kart track on five vessels.) Two decks high and nearly 1,150 feet long, the Norwegian Encore Speedway includes four sections that extend up to 13 feet over the sides of the vessel. The racecourse also features a middle-of-the-track observation area where your family and friends can cheer you on to victory — and even shoot you with "lasers" that'll give you a boost of power.

Related: The 5 best cruise lines for families

In addition, Norwegian Encore has a large laser tag area on its top deck (one that I can tell you from personal experience is a blast) and a massive indoor gaming and virtual reality zone called the Galaxy Pavilion. Both are tween and teen favorites.

That's all on top of dedicated children's play areas, pools and family-friendly entertainment that will keep your family busy from morning to night.

In short, there are so many family-friendly things to do on Norwegian Encore that you and your kids likely won't be able to do it all in a single, weeklong cruise.

Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva: Best for luxury lovers

Luxury lovers have two new top choices in the Norwegian fleet: Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva .

Unveiled in 2022 and 2023, respectively, the 3,195-passenger vessels are the first entrants in a new class of Norwegian ships that the line has designed to be more upscale than its earlier vessels. An "elevation" of the brand is how executives describe it.

The upscale turn included loading Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva with the largest variety of suites and high-end cabins (13 categories in all) of any ships in the NCL fleet, including the largest three-bedroom suites of any new cruise vessel. If it's swanky digs you're after (and you have the money to spend), you'll find plenty of options on these ships.

Extra suite categories are just the start of what makes Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva the best Norwegian cruise ships for luxury lovers.

Notably, the entire back of each of these ships is dedicated to an upscale luxury zone for the fancy set called The Haven. Rising eight decks high, it's home to 107 of the aforementioned suites, a sprawling private indoor lounge area, private outdoor lounge and pool areas, and a private restaurant — all exclusively for the use of the deep-pocketed biggies who pay up for one of its suites.

Related: The 8 best cruise lines for elegance and exclusivity

We've seen these private The Haven suite areas on Norwegian ships before but never on this scale. If it's living large on a Norwegian ship that's your goal, you're not going to find anything better than this.

Outside of The Haven, other areas on these ships have a more elegant feel of the sort you find in the fleets of Norwegian's higher-end sister brands, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — albeit on a bigger scale.

The entryway to each of these ships, for instance, deposits you at the three-story-high Penrose Atrium, which may be the most beautiful atrium of any big ship at sea. It has a curvy, sculptural feel as if the entire space were an art piece.

It's a look that carries over to a bevy of high-end eateries, including Nama, a new-for-Norwegian sushi restaurant with a design that is as sophisticated as the sushi it serves. Also striking is the look of a version of Le Bistro, Norwegian's signature French eatery, that can be found on both of these vessels. Both of the spaces are built around three massive crystal chandeliers costing nearly $100,000 that hang down to the floor — a showstopper of a design element. Gold-leaf wallpaper lines its booth seating.

Notably, the public areas that include these restaurants feel more spacious than many of the other ships in the Norwegian fleet. Indeed, they are. Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva were built with a higher ratio of space to passengers than earlier Norwegian vessels, which itself is an upscale touch. The ships also have a higher crew-to-passenger ratio than many Norwegian ships, leading to better service.

In short, these are the Norwegian ships to book when you want to take things up a notch.

Norwegian Sky: Best for budget travelers

Norwegian Sky is the Norwegian ship to pick when you're looking for a low-cost, easy-to-do getaway — at least in the summer months.

Based in Miami for part of the year, the 24-year-old vessel operates a mix of short three- to five-night voyages to the Bahamas out of the cruise hub as well as longer trips to the Caribbean from spring to fall that have one thing in common: They're unusually affordable on a per-night basis.

In many cases, Norwegian Sky sailings out of Miami will start under $100 a day per person, though it depends on the week and pricing for sailings can vary significantly. We sometimes see the ship's shorter sailings starting as low as $249 per person for the entire cruise.

Indeed, the ship often is at the top of the list when you sort cruises by lowest price on Norwegian's website.

For would-be Norwegian cruisers, Norwegian Sky's shorter sailings out of Miami serve as a sort of "test the line" opportunity. Their short time frame and low pricing mean you're not out a lot in time or money if you don't love it as much as you hoped. These shorter sailings cater heavily to first-time cruisers and Florida locals who can book on short notice and drive into the port for a quick escape.

One of two ships in the line's Sun class that date to the turn of the millennium, Norwegian Sky is far from the snazziest ship in the Norwegian fleet. This is both because of its age but also its size. At 77,104 tons and carrying 1,944 passengers, it's just half the size of Norwegian's biggest ships and has far fewer venues, from bars and restaurants to entertainment spaces. There is no giant water park on its top deck or a go-kart track to keep the kids busy all day, so it's not the best Norwegian Cruise Line ship for families.

Related: The 8 classes of Norwegian Cruise Line ships, explained

That said, Norwegian Sky has its allures, one of which is that it has a much more intimate feel than the line's bigger vessels. It's a great choice for adults on a budget who are satisfied with the basics.

Norwegian Epic: Best for solo travelers

When it comes to the best Norwegian cruise ship for solo travelers, one ship stands out above all the others: Norwegian Epic.

Unveiled in 2010, Norwegian Epic caters to solo travelers like no other large cruise ship at sea — from any line, not just Norwegian — with an unusually large private zone for solo travelers that has its own two-story lounge for solo mixers as well as special solo cabins.

Tucked away in the middle of the ship, this "studio" zone is essentially a private escape for solos, with more solo cabins — 128 — than you'll find on any other ship at sea.

The cabins measure just 100 square feet but are superbly designed to maximize storage space. They're also clustered around the exclusive Studio Lounge, which has its own private bar and a television area where solo travelers can mingle at daily hosted happy hour gatherings.

Only solos staying in the solo cabins (via keycards) can access the Studio Lounge, meaning that you and your new solo friends will have the place to yourselves.

Related: The best cruise lines for solo travelers

Norwegian Epic was the first Norwegian ship with an exclusive solos zone, and it was such a hit the line later added them to eight more vessels. But none of the latter zones are as big as the one on Norwegian Epic.

The bigger Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Bliss all have an 82-cabin solo complex, while two older ships — Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway — have solo areas with 59 cabins. The line's two newest vessels, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian VIva, have 72-cabin solo complexes spread over two decks.

Norwegian also offers four solo cabins on its Hawaii-based Pride of America.

Having sailed in one of Norwegian Epic's cabins for one, I can confidently declare them among the coolest solo digs at sea. I particularly love the "Jetsons" futuristic-style design and the multicolored mood lighting.

One big caveat: They're all inside cabins without an ocean view, although most have a window that looks out onto a corridor.

Related: Why a windowless inside cabin isn't so bad

A bigger caveat, perhaps, is that these solo cabins have become so popular they often sell out far in advance and at prices that aren't much better than booking a cabin for two.

Norwegian Sun: Best for retirees

For older travelers looking for a Norwegian ship that isn't filled to the gills with children, Norwegian Sun is the perfect option.

Dating to 2001, Norwegian Sun is one of Norwegian's oldest and smallest vessels, and it lacks many of the family-focused onboard attractions that are typical for the line's newer and bigger vessels. You won't find big waterparks, go-kart racing tracks or laser tag zones on this ship.

Norwegian Sun's top deck mostly comprises sunning areas, with a single pool and whirlpools, as is typical for ships built more than two decades ago.

As a result, it draws far fewer families than most of the vessels mentioned above and caters more to an older crowd of mostly couples.

Norwegian Sun also is the ship that Norwegian deploys on some of its longest and most destination-focused itineraries, the type that particularly appeals to retirees looking to see more of the world.

Related: The 7 best cruises for seniors who love to travel

Over the next two years, for instance, Norwegian Sun is sailing lots of long voyages out of such less-common home ports as Benoa, Indonesia; Melbourne, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Papeete, Tahiti.

The sailings out of Papeete will offer the chance to visit such iconic French Polynesian islands as Bora Bora, Raiatea and Moorea. ia and Thailand in-depth, with departures ranging from 13 to 18 nights — the sort of cruise that appeals more to older couples than families.

The sailings in and out of Buenos Aires and Melbourne, all on the longer side, will offer in-depth explorations of the southern half of South America (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile) and New Zealand, respectively.

Norwegian Sun is also one of the smallest and least kid-focused of the five ships the line deploys to Alaska in summer, making it a good choice for retirees wanting to visit that destination. Families with kids naturally gravitate to the two giant, activity-packed vessels Norwegian sends to Alaska each summer — Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Bliss.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Norwegian ship

At 78,309 tons, Norwegian Sun is less than half the size of the biggest Norwegian ships, and it holds just 1,878 passengers at double occupancy. (Compare that to more than 4,000 for Norwegian's biggest vessels.) Expect a far more intimate experience than what you'll find on most of the ships mentioned above.

Note that due to the ship's small size, some of Norwegian's signature features, including a private The Haven suite complex and solo cabins, aren't found on the ship. Still, you'll find more than half a dozen eateries, including several main dining rooms, a casual buffet, a diner-style pub, a steak house, an Italian trattoria and a French bistro as well as a showroom with nightly shows, a casino, a multipurpose basketball/volleyball court, golf driving nets and a jogging track.

Bottom line

Norwegian Cruise Line's fleet consists of 19 ships that come in a wide range of sizes and feature differing mixes of venues and activities. Some are jampacked with fun zones that make them perfect for families, while others are geared toward couples and retirees. Some ships have attributes that make them stand out for luxury, solo or budget travelers.

If you're considering a Norwegian cruise, it pays to study not just the itineraries that are available from the line but the specific ships that are operating the itineraries. You want to make sure you end up on the best Norwegian Cruise Line ship for you.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
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• The 15 best cruise ships for people who never want to grow up
• What to pack for your first cruise

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.