Norwegian Prima-What It’s Really Like To Sail NCL’s Newest Ship

The Norwegian Prima is the newest ship to make its debut this year but what is it really like to sail onboard NCL’s newest entry into the world of cruising?  With its newest ship,  the Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Cruise Line has been promising to step things up a level in order to elevate the cruising experience with more of a luxury boutique resort feel than a cruise ship. Thanks to its sleek, modern minimalist design, cozy, intimate small spaces, and the Ocean Boulevard promenade, it is successful in capturing that unique feel. 

The Prima goes against the latest trend in some of the newer cruise ships which have the tendency to be larger than the prior ships and are actually considerably smaller than Norwegian’s previous Breakaway and Breakaway-Plus classes, holding just 3,100 passengers. This, combined with a clever design that places many of the fun activities in the core of the ship, makes it simple to navigate.

With numerous delectable eateries onboard, several 10-story slides to test your bravery, multiple pools, and lounging areas, and Galaxy Pavillion- the VR arcade for all ages, you will never go hungry or lack something to do.

Add in Broadway-level entertainment, hysterical comedians, and a wide variety of places to just kick back and relax, you’re guaranteed to always have multiple choices of things to do.

The cabins are sleek, contemporary, and spacious while the suites are pure luxury from start to finish and are designed to spoil and pamper you in every way imaginable. 

Within the Norwegian fleet, the Norwegian Prima truly is nothing like you have ever experienced.  Simply put, the Prima raises the bar for Norwegian cruising with new and innovative surprises that elevate your overall cruising experience to an entirely different level.

Norwegian Prima Embraces An Upscale Atmosphere 

The ship’s highlights include the Penrose Atrium, a three-deck modern atrium full of activity, the Indulge Food Hall, and high-quality entertainment. Norwegian’s luxury ship-within-a-ship suite complex, The Haven, is the most luxurious to date.  The Norwegian Prima takes NCL into new territory. It’s an evolution for a cruise line that’s been reinventing itself for the better part of a decade.

This ship itself is jam-packed with a wide variety of activities to choose from. This floating hotel is loaded with places and features to keep every passenger busy and happy or provide those much-needed hidden spaces to just kick back, relax and rejuvenate.  Rather than massive spaces, Norwegian Prima has multiple small spaces designed to feel more intimate.

For the adrenaline lover, the ship’s top decks are the spots to be hanging out. Here, passengers will find a three-level go-kart track, entrances to a water slide and two dry slides, a mini-golf course, a fun gaming space called The Stadium, and a virtual reality arcade, called the Galaxy Pavilion.

The Penrose Atrium is three stories high and is unique when it comes to the newer larger ships at sea. The feeling throughout is not the normal grand atrium that we’ve all become accustomed to but rather sculptural and modern as if the entire space was specifically designed to have an artistic atmostphere all its own. 

The Atrium’s layout and aesthetic were developed after Studio Dado, the architectural firm, researched famous piazzas from around the globe, including St. Mark’s Square in Venice.

Each deck of the ship has offset entrances from different areas that, like the winding lanes of Venice opening up into that vast gathering place, give you the impression that you’ve stumbled onto something magnificent.

The vast array of eateries, bars, and entertainment venues are located throughout the Penrose Atrium’s three levels and share its opulent aesthetic which are located throughout Decks 6, 7, and 8.

Directly out the door on the top level, one can delight in the sculptural Onda by Scarpetta, an upscale Italian restaurant, and not far from its mid-level are a number of chic eateries as well as Indulge, a central hub for a wide variety of eateries with uncommonly Norwegian motifs.

Did I mention that there are not one but two Starbucks onboard?

 Megaship Size But Still Manages A Small Intimate Feel

The ship itself, however, even with its large size still has a home feel to it unlike many of its predecessors from other big-ship lines, and it’s interesting to note that even with the overall size, the capacity of passengers is smaller in comparison to what one would expect. 

Norwegian has constructed the Norwegian Prima to be approximately 14% smaller than its most recent ship, the Norwegian Encore, breaking with the current tendency of cruise shipbuilding to always go bigger.

Activities Abound On The Norwegian Prima

The elevated architecture of Norwegian Prima’s public areas is elegant and modern in style and yet the Norwegian Prima has more food outlets than the previous Norwegian ships, not less all intertwined with the latest in fun! From the outdoor sculpture garden to the three-story go-cart track to the Galaxy Pavillion there is truly something for every style and taste. 

It also offers a similarly wide range of onboard entertainment options, including a genuine Broadway production of the Tony Award-nominated “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”  in a stunning theater that transforms into a dance club late at night as a huge dance floor is created when the theater’s whole lower deck of seats pulls away, which is a sight to behold in terms of technology.

The upper deck of Norwegian Prima is the central hub of family entertainment areas, including the largest go-kart track at sea.

Looking for the ultimate in rest and relaxation, then look no further than the place where the ocean meets the healing waters within in the breathtaking new Mandara Spa. From multiple detoxifying saunas to state-of-the-art pools to a two-story waterfall, the experience on Norwegian Prima is sure to awaken every sense.

Cabins To Suit Every Need

The Norwegian Prima Cabins are wonderfully spacious and offer a wide variety no matter what your tastes and budget happen to be.  From cozy solo interiors to large family suites, all of the cabins are much larger than you’re likely to see on other Norwegian ships or on other cruise lines. The Norwegian Prima’s modern, sophisticated cabins are definitely spacious enough to call home no matter what category you decide on.

Most of the cabins onboard feature balconies and include many of the upscale amenities one would expect to find on pricier cruise lines without the hefty price tag to go with it. The Prima offers an impressive number of family options that are sure to be perfect no matter what your budget happens to be.

When Only The Best Will Do-The Haven

Cutting Edge Dining

Norwegian Prima takes a novel approach to dining, offering two main dining rooms -Hudson’s which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and comes with unparalleled views, and the smaller Commodore Room which is open for dinner only.

Both of these restaurants share the same menu and unlike other main dining room experiences, the menu does not change from day to day but rather has the same offerings throughout your sailing.

This is different from what most of us are used to on other cruise ships, where the main dining room menu rotates daily. With so many other dining options to select from, both free and specialty dining, this new concept of a set menu seems to work.  Norwegian Cruise Lines is noted for its delectable food and the Prima does not disappoint.

Indulge Food Court is another new concept being introduced on the Prima. Here you will discover a true food hall, made up of 11 restaurants with options ranging from  Nudls (noodles galore) to Tapas where you will find every snack imaginable, and Q Texas Smokehouse if it’s barbeque that you’re craving.

With the exception of Starbucks and Coco’s the restaurants located in the Indulge Food Court are included in the cruise fare,  Prima Resort offers a buffet and an on-site pub featuring some of the best downhome comfort food around, as well as a large number of specialty restaurants that run the gambit from sushi to Mediterranean and Italian or hibachi.

I highly recommend Odna, the Italian eatery where you be treated to the best authentic Italian cuisine you’ve ever experienced.

In addition, you’ll find a large selection of quick-serve restaurants serving everything from Sea Food to traditional Steak Houses,  Mexican food,  Indian food and so much more. The food is definitely above and beyond which is one of the things that is synonymous with Norwegian Cruise Line and the Norweigan Prima certainly follows suit in being above and beyond in their culinary delights.

One of the other innovations of the Norwegian Prima is the ability to order directly from tablets that are located on all of the tables throughout the Indulge Food Hall that allow you to combine items from any of the venues and have them delivered to your table.

Gone are the days of having to go from one place to another in order to be able to gather up all of your favorites. Now with the quick touch or two of the button, all of your favorite cuisines come right to you.

Decks With Distinctive Theming 

The Norwegian Prima is the first in a new class of ships designed to elevate every expectation. Once onboard, you’ll have access to the most outdoor deck space of any new cruise ship, where you can unwind as you take a 360° seaside stroll along the new Ocean Boulevard.

The exceptionally broad wraparound promenade on Norwegian Prima invites you to go for a stroll and then settle in for the day at one of the many resort-style outdoor lounge areas. Ocean Boulevard features sunbeds, swinging seats, and extremely comfortable lounge chairs in select locations.

Rather than massive spaces, Norwegian Prima has multiple small spaces designed to feel more intimate located throughout multiple levels of the ship.  The Norwegian Prima deck plan is loaded with places and features that allow passengers to do everything or nothing at all. 

The new Norwegian Prima boasts many high-end features that one has come to expect from the Norwegian Cruise Line. The ship is home to a variety of venues and experiences that are truly elevated from the enormous Haven suite complex at its back to its gorgeous, sculptural central atrium and striking designs and the food that has become synonymous with the Norwegian name.

Add in the vast variety of activities onboard for every age, and you’ll find a truly one-of-a-kind unique sailing experience waiting just for you and your family. Now the only question left to answer is when do you set sail on the all-new Norwegian Prima, a new way to experience a resort-style vacation at sea?