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I had cruised NCL three times before and was a silver member of the Latitudes rewards program when I booked. I love some of Norwegian’s exotic itineraries, including unique destinations like South Africa, Brazil, India and even Saudi Arabia! I hope to try one of these cruises in the near future to get an even better impression of Norwegian Cruise Line. I’d love to sail on a newer Norwegian ship so I could experience one of their full-length Broadway musicals and larger scale production shows. The smaller and older ships tend to be used for port-intensive itineraries that are more destination focused. I was shocked by how small the Garden Cafe was onboard Norwegian Sun.
The port valet service
The cabin seemed very spacious because the bed was by the balcony, which left a big open space in the cabin. While this was nice, anyone sleeping next to the balcony would have a difficult time getting out of bed without hitting the sliding glass door or the bed. The Prima looks a bit different than other NCL ships I had been on in that it is more understated elegance than in-your-face opulence. There were many decorative touches I wouldn’t mind having in my house.
NCL DAWN - AVOID AT ALL COST!
The first two — located directly across from one another on Deck 6 — are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Have you ever been to a Starbucks where every single customer belted out the lyrics to "Sweet Caroline" in unison, mid-latte? Even more interestingly, it was on a cruise — Norwegian Encore, to be exact — where the ship's atrium singalong shenanigans spilled over into the nearby onboard coffee outpost.
BEST Norwegian (NCL) Cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
BEST Norwegian (NCL) Cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 22 Apr 2024 09:57:48 GMT [source]
Viking Cruises
The line's two newest vessels, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian VIva, have 72-cabin solo complexes spread over two decks. 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. 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. Here we list our top picks for the best Norwegian cruise ships for five different types of travelers.
Restaurants and dining
For dinner, I started with tortilla soup and fried green tomatoes before moving on to pulled pork with cornbread, pickles, potato salad and coleslaw. It was just OK — not the best barbecue I've had, but also not the worst. Taste, Savor and The Manhattan Room are Norwegian Encore's three main dining rooms.
What is the best Norwegian Cruise Line ship?
Since we boarded at the tail-end of a long sailing, the vibes onboard were very subdued. This certainly wasn’t a traditional cruise and felt more like we came super late to the party, like when a party is almost over and everyone’s getting ready to go home. My two experiences with Norwegian Cruise Line have been very positive; however, the two itineraries I’ve sailed on are more unique compared to a standard sailing with the cruise line.
Our stateroom on Norwegian Sun was an inside cabin guarantee, which was spacious and comfortable.
Having to complete everything online was a chore for 3 persons - including uploading photos for ID (which in one case failed and caused delay on check-in). The club balcony suite needed vacuuming as there was significant amount of debris on the carpeting and under the bed (where the suitcases were stored). When in port the ship tilted to the rear so if the shower was used it rose above the lip and flooded the bathroom. No information regarding the ship was present in the room and the newsletter was predominately a list of activities and service contacts with inundation of leaflets pushing purchasing options. No information was given as to which deck was to be used to exit ship when in port (nor was it announced). All excursions exited through the theater - a real comedy act as it was not coordinated and ONLY one disembarkation exit was used for everyone.
Other interior attractions and activities
At around 143,000 to nearly 170,000 tons, all eight currently rank among the 50 biggest cruise ships in the world (although their rankings will shift downward as more big ships debut). Instead of a few big main restaurants with fixed seating times, Norwegian ships offer a wide range of eateries and no assigned seating times — just make a reservation. However, passengers who don't have it included — or those who have the basic plan included but want to upgrade — can pay to connect. Prices vary, but they're generally pretty expensive, ranging from about $30 to $35 per person, per day, depending on whether or not you need streaming capabilities.
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Lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits. You'll get things like priority check-in and discounted spa treatments performed while ships are in port. However, higher levels of the program start to be enticing. Reaching the second tier, Silver (20 points), would take at the most three cruises if you're doing seven-night trips.
The Haven also has its own private pool with a retractable roof and hot tub. There are also two hot tubs on the exclusive area's sun deck. If the smell isn't enough to draw you in, let yourself be carried by the wonderful live music that accompanies the experience each night.
As is the case with the Galaxy Pavilion attractions mentioned above, the go-kart and laser tag experiences on Norwegian ships don't come cheap. You'll pay $15 per person for an eight-lap romp on the go-karts. If you know you want to eat at several extra-charge restaurants during a single voyage, you can buy one of several dining packages that offer meals at a discount. You might even find Starbucks stores on some ships (the one-year-old Norwegian Prima has two!) and there are Starbucks products on every Norwegian vessel.
You'll find everything from music halls with Beatles cover bands and dueling piano bars to theaters with some of the most elaborate shows at sea — including some big-name Broadway productions. Ultimately, Norwegian Encore offers a solid cruise product. The ship is large, so it's likely not the best choice if you enjoy smaller (or quieter) vessels. However, Encore's variety of activities appeals to travelers of all ages, making the ship ideal for multigenerational family groups. Just be aware that you'll likely incur a significant onboard bill if you want to try the latest and most adrenaline-pumping pursuits when you sail. Norwegian Encore levies automatic surcharges of $20 to $25 per person, per day, to final bills, depending on your cabin category.
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