Norwegian Cruise Line review

About Norwegian Cruise Line review

By the ULTIMATE Cruises Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Norwegian did away with fixed dinner times and built big, lively ships with a long list of restaurants, a ship-within-a-ship called The Haven and its own island in the Bahamas. Here is who it suits, how the ships differ, what is included and how to book well.

Norwegian traces its story to 19 December 1966, when Knut Kloster’s Oslo shipping company sent the Sunward from Miami on round trips to the Caribbean (nclhltd.com). It was the first line to give its guests a private island in the Bahamas, and in May 2000 it announced Freestyle Cruising: open seating, more restaurants, longer hours, resort-casual dress and an end to the fixed dinner sitting.

Twenty ships sail today, with Norwegian Aura due in 2027 and Norwegian Bella in 2028 (ncl.com, Oct 2026). Here is how to choose a ship, what the fare covers and how to make the most of the package offers.

Freestyle Cruising ended the fixed dinner sitting, and it is still the heart of a Norwegian holiday.

Who Norwegian suits

Norwegian suits travellers who like to decide on the day: where to eat, when, and in what. It suits groups of friends, multi-generation families and couples who want energy, shows and a long list of restaurants. Solo travellers are well served too, with Studio cabins on some ships. Children have Splash Academy, for ages 3–12, and Entourage for teenagers, both complimentary while the ship is sailing.

If you want a quiet, adult ship, look at the premium or luxury lines; if you want space and service without giving up the buzz of a big ship, The Haven is the answer.

The new ships

The Prima class brought a new look. Norwegian Prima (2022) and Norwegian Viva (2023) each carry 3,195 guests, as listed by the line, and introduced Ocean Boulevard, an outdoor promenade wrapped around the ship, the Waterfront for dining by the sea and the Indulge Food Hall. Norwegian Aqua, the first Prima Plus ship, added more outdoor space, a wider choice of suites, the Glow Court LED sports floor and the Aqua Slidecoaster, which the line describes as the world’s first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide at sea.

Norwegian Luna entered service in 2026 with a capacity of 3,565 guests, as listed by the line, with hull art by the artist ELLE, the Aqua Slidecoaster, Infinity Beach, new restaurants Sukhothai and Planterie, and a show celebrating Elton John. Norwegian Aura, the biggest ship the line has built, follows in 2027 with Ocean Heights, a three-storey open-air complex of waterslides, a ropes course and a bar, and Norwegian Bella in 2028.

The rest of the fleet

Seven big ships, from Norwegian Epic (2010) to Norwegian Encore (2019), carry from 3,776 to 4,218 guests, as listed by the line, and all have been refurbished since 2022; Encore, Bliss and Joy are the summer Alaska ships from Seattle. The smaller ships, built between 1998 and 2007 and all refurbished since 2021, carry 1,878 to 2,388 guests and sail the more varied itineraries. Pride of America, in the line’s words the only ship home-ported in Honolulu year-round, sails a seven-day loop of four Hawaiian islands every Saturday, with two overnights and no sea days.

The Haven

At the top of the bigger ships sits The Haven, a keycard-only ship-within-a-ship. Haven guests have a 24-hour butler and concierge, escorted embarkation and disembarkation, priority reservations, The Haven Restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the Haven Courtyard with a pool and hot tubs. The bar and lounge are on the Prima-class, Epic, Breakaway and Breakaway Plus ships, and the sundeck is for guests aged 16 and over.

The Haven 3-Bedroom Garden Villas, on some of the smaller ships, measure up to 454 m² for up to eight guests, with outdoor terraces with a hot tub, a private dining area and three full bathrooms. The Premier Owner’s Suites with Large Balcony face aft, with floor-to-ceiling glass and two or three bedrooms.

Dining

Freestyle means choice. The main dining rooms, the buffet, with its carving station and made-to-order omelettes, and, on the Prima-class and Prima Plus ships, the Indulge Food Hall are complimentary. The specialty restaurants carry a cover charge or come with a dining package: Cagney’s Steakhouse; Le Bistro for French cooking; Onda by Scarpetta for modern Italian; Palomar, the newest seafood concept, with Mediterranean-inspired dishes; Teppanyaki, where a chef cooks at a steel grill in front of a shared table; and Nama, the contemporary sushi house.

Spa and life on board

Mandara Spa and Salon is on every Norwegian ship, with massages, facials and beauty services; access to the adults-only Thermal Suite is sold separately. The shows are a highlight, from the Elton John celebration on Luna to the hour-long Prince tribute concert on Aqua. For children, register at Splash Academy and Entourage on boarding day; Splash Academy runs while the ship is sailing, not when it is in port, and Late Night Services for ages 3–12 run from 10pm to midnight for an hourly fee.

Great Stirrup Cay

Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas, is only for Norwegian guests. Every visit includes the beaches, complimentary dining, the Great Life Lagoon, a 2,601 m² pool with swim-up bars and a children’s splash pad, and a snorkel garden. Great Tides Waterpark has 19 slides in four zones, 11 main attractions and 8 for children; passes are booked in MyNCL up to two days before sailing, and under-18s must be with a ticketed adult. Cabanas, the Silver Cove villas, the adults-only Vibe Shore Club, the Flighthouse Zipline and WaveRunners are paid extras.

Where Norwegian sails

The Bahamas and the Caribbean are sailed all year, from short getaways to longer itineraries, most with a day at Great Stirrup Cay; Norwegian Luna’s Caribbean voyages, for example, visit Puerto Plata, Tortola and St Thomas. For summer 2027 the line plans five ships in Alaska, with Encore, Bliss and Joy on seven-day round trips from Seattle’s Pier 66 and Norwegian Jade between Vancouver and Whittier. Pride of America sails Hawaii all year, and the fleet sails Europe too: Norwegian Luna welcomed her first guests in Rome in March 2026.

What’s included, and what isn’t

The fare covers your cabin, the main dining rooms, the buffet and the food halls, and the kids’ clubs. Norwegian also sells fares with a bundled package of a Premium Beverage Package, a Specialty Dining Package, Wi-Fi and excursion credits, which must be chosen with the booking; a ‘Plus’ upgrade adds Starbucks coffee, top-shelf spirits, unlimited streaming Wi-Fi and prepaid service charges (ncl.com, Oct 2026).

A daily service charge is added per guest, at a higher rate for The Haven and suites; check the current figure on your booking, as the line’s pages are regional. Guests may not bring drinks on board, except factory-sealed water for medical or infant use and sealed wine for personal use, subject to a corkage fee unless you have a drinks package.

How Norwegian compares

Norwegian’s closest rival is Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean leads on waterparks, family neighbourhoods and the scale of its newest ships; Norwegian answers with Freestyle dining, the package offers and The Haven, which goes further than most big-ship suite areas with its own restaurant, courtyard and 24-hour butlers. Celebrity is the calmer, design-led alternative, with The Retreat for suite guests.

Booking tips

Compare the package offers carefully, because drinks, specialty dining and Wi-Fi can be bundled into the fare, and they must be chosen at booking. Book Great Tides passes in MyNCL before you sail. Choose a Prima-class or Prima Plus ship for the newest spaces, and Pride of America for Hawaii without sea days. If you have young children, remember that Splash Academy runs while the ship is sailing, not in port.

Our advice: for a first Norwegian cruise, book a balcony on Norwegian Prima, Viva, Aqua or Luna with the package offer, and plan a day at Great Stirrup Cay. For a family or a group, The Haven turns a big, lively ship into a private retreat.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Norwegian Cruise Line review before you go.