Norwegian Cruise Line Review for April 2024 Best Cruise Lines
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In addition to entertainment spaces, the interiors of Norwegian ships are loaded with other venues where passengers can kick back and let loose day and night. Also, every ship has a least four and often many more extra-charge eateries. Two found across the entire fleet are Cagney's, the line's signature steakhouse, and Le Bistro, a fine French restaurant. Every ship also has an Italian restaurant, called Onda by Scarpetta or La Cucina.
What is the best Norwegian cruise ship?
Our table was gone, forcing us to wait about 45 minutes for another one. There is an aqua park for kids, a waterslide and a few hot tubs and smaller pools and lounging areas on other decks, but no one large gathering place for water and sun fun. So, if you’re not much of a drinker, you might want to consider declining the free open bar and just ordering and paying for drinks as you want them.
About Norwegian Cruise Line sailings
Expert Review of Norwegian Getaway - Cruise Critic
Expert Review of Norwegian Getaway.
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:10:58 GMT [source]
The best part was spending time with my parents and making memories. Cruising is a great way to do that because there are a variety of activities and options available, and everyone does not need to be together all the time. Lots of people in a small space got really hot and disorganized, but soon my parents and I had our luggage and were out the door and into a taxi.
Norwegian Viva bars
We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Similarly, we didn’t have much time onboard Norwegian Sun to experience the entertainment. We listened to one live musician on the pool deck the first day and then attended one of the headliner shows, Cosmopolitan, on the second night. Because we wanted to enjoy our day in Cadiz, we spent our only full day ashore in the city. All this to say that I was really impressed with the buffet food that was offered.
On a typical sailing, you might find an entry-level cabin for around $100 a night while a high-end suite is five to 15 times that amount. Norwegian is also heralded for kicking off the trend of more solo cabins on cruise ships. In 2010, it debuted an entire zone of small studio cabins for one — 128 in all — on its then-new, 4,070-passenger Norwegian Epic, and it has since added them to seven more new ships. Norwegian is known for offering a wide range of accommodations on its ships. You'll find everything from relatively low-cost, windowless inside cabins that measure as little as 135 square feet (perfect for the budget traveler) to massive, multi-room suites that are more than 50 times that size.
Upon boarding in Spain, we were greeted with cooling towels and fruit-infused water by friendly crew members.
Norwegian has also thoroughly done away with the concept of big main restaurants with fixed seating. 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. If you're a U.S. citizen departing on a Norwegian Viva cruise in Europe, you must have a passport for travel.
Expert Review of Norwegian Aqua - Cruise Critic
Expert Review of Norwegian Aqua.
Posted: Thu, 02 Nov 2023 14:27:32 GMT [source]
You will only earn cruise points on eligible sailings where you are paying a traditional fare; promotional sailings with a heavy discount might not be eligible, although you would still receive the benefits at your tier. Also, sailings on sister lines do not qualify for Latitude Rewards cruise points. Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered many features aboard its ships, some of which other cruise lines have imitated.
How much does it cost to go on Norwegian Getaway?
The waiter-served food court experience at Indulge combines some of the best restaurant offerings from around the fleet so that cruisers can try a bit of everything. There's an abridged version of Q Texas Smokehouse, serving pulled pork sandwiches a la Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Bliss. There's also a food truck that serves small plates similar to what you can order at Bayamo on Norwegian Escape. I sailed on a nine-night voyage when the ship was at roughly two-thirds of its capacity and was disappointed to note the ship sometimes felt crowded. The pools weren't large enough, it was difficult to snag reservations for go-karts and escape rooms, and some performance venues were standing room only.
things I loved and hated about Norwegian Epic
Our time on the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship was a fantastic experience with so much to do that the only downside was we simply didn't have time to try everything. 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. 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. 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. 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.
Shore excursions are more expensive than any other cruise line, and their service is deplorable. In addition to the lower quality of service, the food in their main dining room has become so bad that it's reminiscent of a High School Cafeteria. Although passengers will pay extra for many things on Norwegian Viva, and some of the ship's public spaces aren't large enough to accommodate demand, the vessel is still a wonderful second iteration of the line's Prima Class. Other nighttime events include club dance parties in both the main theater and Syd Norman's, comedy in the main theater and dedicated comedy venue Improv at Sea, and rotating acts that stay on board for a few sailings. On my voyage, I saw violinist Christopher Watkins, who plays well-known songs on a violin adorned with more than 1,000 Swarovski crystals. The two-level Mandara Spa is also nearby, with an entrance on Deck 16.
The Prima was scheduled to dock in Barcelona at 5 a.m., and disembarkation was set to begin as soon as local authorities cleared the ship. The earliest time was for people who wanted to take all of their luggage off the ship themselves. My slight disappointment came in the ports where I had nothing planned. The shore excursion desk didn’t have much information about the ports themselves or what was available. For two tours in Granada and Seville, Spain, I joined a small group using a private tour company.
Why I would schedule a 10 day cruise with lots of walking when I had a preexisting condition with my knee is beyond me.... If their parents are sailing, passengers 18 to 20 years old can drink beer and wine in international waters with a signed waiver. Cabins on Norwegian Viva are equipped with both North American-style 110-volt outlets and European-style 220-volt outlets, as well as USB ports. In my room, there was one USB port on each of the two bedside reading lamps.
It appears we can make modifications if we were only going on the cruise but no modifications since we are doing a Land & Sea. We were asked if we wanted to cancel our land so we could modify our flight...DOES THAT MAKE SINCE? We were told that since it is two reservations we might not be on the same flight out and when we asked if they could at least put a note on our reservations Family Traveling Together they said no. They were very happy to take our money but no so much to accommodate our needs. Cruisers can, instead, pay an extra fee for send-out laundry or dry-cleaning services.
Norwegian Cruise Line ships are also known for their colorful hull art that makes them stand out in ports around the world. If a spa experience is what you’re after, consider booking a Spa Suite, Mini-Suite, or Balcony Stateroom. These relaxing rooms are located close to the Mandara Spa and include access to the Thermal Spa Suites, sauna, hydrotherapy pools, steam room, and heated loungers. It almost felt like we were late to the party because everyone already knew each other after sailing for nearly two weeks together. It was an unusual experience that I’ve never had more, and makes me wonder if this is something Norwegian does more than other cruise lines.
Whether you’re traveling solo or with the whole family, on a budget or looking to splurge, you’ll find a stateroom that will suit your needs. 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. Pride of America is the only US-flagged cruise ship and it’s the only vessel the operates inner-island itineraries. Guest services indicated that those of us joining for just two nights didn’t have any options for purchasing drink or Internet packages, much to our surprise. This explains why boarding was very fast, as most guests were visiting Malaga as a port of call and were not embarking on a two night journey like we were. At the muster drill, we were in a group of maybe 200 other passengers who had joined the ship the same day as us.
That said, the line does offer some smaller ships that aren't quite as big and bustling as its giants. Daytime attire generally consists of T-shirts and jeans or shorts. At dinnertime, cruisers might choose to put on khakis with collared shirts or sundresses; it's usually casual, though.
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