Sunday, March 31, 2024

Norwegian Cruise Line destination guide: The 5 best places it sails

is norwegian a good cruise line

For guests interested in trying out these extra paid-for activities, I recommend accounting for these items in your overall cruise planning budget. This will help with expectations and help avoid any sticker shocks at the end of the cruise. Plus, there are two Norwegian ships not part of any class; these vessels are Norwegian Spirit and Pride of America. All 19 of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships are divided into various categories called classes. Currently, there's the Prima Class, Breakaway Plus Class, Breakaway Class, Dawn Class, Epic Class, Jewel Class, and Sun Class. Perhaps one of the biggest pros for Norwegian Cruise Line is the sheer size of their fleet.

is norwegian a good cruise line

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For example, most cruises offer drink packages for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, but a few have drink stations where you can get complimentary lemonade, coffee and tea. Other amenities that might be important to you are Wi-Fi, spa services, babysitting, fitness classes, and upgraded dining experiences. You can usually get a decent discount if you sign up for an amenities package before you sail, so keep an eye out for promotions in the months leading up to your sailing. You may also have the option of upgrading to "Free at Sea Plus" , which would give you extra specialty dining, extra credit towards excursions, unlimited Wi-Fi, and a premium beverage package. The included food on Norwegian can be hit or miss, especially in the main dining rooms.

Food For Any Taste. At Any Time.

At Carnival's Alchemy Bar, patrons fill out a prescription pad of their favorites, and bartenders "prescribe" a special concoction. On Mardi Gras, molecular drinks smoke and otherwise impress at The Fortune Teller bar, and Carnival Celebration features a menu of throwback drinks to celebrate the cruise line's 50th anniversary. Cabin choices abound on both cruise lines, but Norwegian is particularly innovative in this realm and, in some ways, Carnival is playing catch-up with its rival. An iconic presence in Hawaii, Pride of America has been permanently dedicated to the archipelago since its debut in 2005. It offers a repeating seven-night itinerary that begins each Saturday in Honolulu and brings the chance to visit four different Hawaiian islands on a single seven-night trip. The Caribbean and the Bahamas have always been a big area of operations for Norwegian.

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Norwegian Cruise Line destinations

Choose from Free Unlimited Open Bar, Free Specialty Dining, Free Airfare for 2nd Guest, Free Shore Excursions, Free WiFi and Free 3rd & 4th Guests. The cruise line's Punchliner Comedy Clubs host more than 27,000 live performances a year, which makes Carnival the largest employer of comics in the world. It also wins the live music battle and puts together its own bands — whether jazz, rock 'n' roll, show band or classical. Adults can pay extra for shows themed around wine or prohibition cocktails; kids aren't allowed because the fun comes with drinks. Comedy, improv and themed parties are all favorites of the late-night crowd.

Is Norwegian cruise line good? Unbiased NCL cruise review

There also are churrascaria restaurants called Moderno on most Norwegian vessels. Every vessel has two or three main restaurants and a casual buffet where meals are included in the fare — the latter is usually called the Garden Cafe. On the ships that have them, they are clustered around an exclusive Studio Lounge where solo travelers can mingle at daily happy hour gatherings. Cruising is a popular way of traveling for many people, offering a unique experience that combines the convenience of a floating hotel with the excitement of visiting multiple destinations in one trip. In an average year, over fifteen million people say "all aboard" and set sail on an amazing vacation.

Travel Insurance Plans

Onboard some of their older ships, such as Norwegian Star, guests can enjoy some impressive variety acts and performances. 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. To take advantage of the cheap cruise fare, we opted to book an inside cabin guarantee onboard Norwegian Sun.

is norwegian a good cruise line

MSC Cruises

Are you considering booking a Norwegian cruise and wondering if it’s worth it, or even the right cruise for you? Planning a cruise is not one size fits all, and there are different cruise lines to choose from. Carnival fares are also among the lowest in the Bahamas and Caribbean, and the line sails from multiple U.S. home ports, making its cruises accessible to a vast pool of vacationers. Norwegian matches Carnival with a ropes course on select ships, complete with The Plank. It also goes hi-tech with its Galaxy Pavilion, full of virtual reality gaming and experiences.

Transatlantic Cruises

Many of the older Norwegian Cruise Line ships are utilized to sail European itineraries, which could mean it is less warm out. Additionally, newer Norwegian Cruise Line ships tend to be at capacity more frequently than older ships, meaning there are simply more passengers onboard. In contrast, I have not experienced this problem on older Norwegian Cruise Line ships. It seems that onboard many of the older ships, there's less of a frenzy to grab a lounge chair on the pool deck. Occasionally, there will be a menu for a restaurant or bar inside the app but not always. Oftentimes, guests are unable to see the menu for the main complimentary restaurants.

The giants of cruising to Alaska are Princess Cruises and Holland America, two brands that are sister lines to each other and control a large percentage of the market. As of the publishing of this guide, Norwegian had opened bookings for all of its Baltic sailing through late 2025, and St. Petersburg remains off the schedule for all of them. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Getaway blends a lot of adult spaces with kid-friendly activities, so passengers are a mix of couples, families -- both nuclear and multigenerational -- and groups of friends. The Norwegian Getaway ship was built for socializing, and its deck plans make it easy.

Because we wanted to enjoy our day in Cadiz, we spent our only full day ashore in the city. 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.

When compared to other cruise lines such as Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, I have noticed that generally there seem to be fewer younger children onboard Norwegian Cruise Line ships. Some guests may experience trouble if their flights are booked too close to their cruise embarkation time. Because of this, I always recommend arriving at the cruise embarkation city the day before the cruise begins. Arriving the day before a cruise starts will help ensure no travel issues should flights get delayed or other travel logistics come up.

8 new ships coming to Norwegian Cruise Line, sister brands plus dock at Great Stirrup Cay - Greater Milwaukee Today GMToday.com

8 new ships coming to Norwegian Cruise Line, sister brands plus dock at Great Stirrup Cay.

Posted: Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:34:00 GMT [source]

In northern Europe, Norwegian will take you to such famed Baltic cities as Stockholm; Tallinn, Estonia; and Helsinki in a single sailing. Here is a look at the best destinations you can visit on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. You'll find Norwegian ships everywhere from the Caribbean and the Bahamas to Europe, Asia and Australia. Note that some of the nicer restaurants, such as Le Bistro and Cagney's, do require men to wear slacks. As I said at the start of the review, NCL has some room for improvement and I have listed some of our personal pet peevs with them in this review.

This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. At the time of this story's posting, A The Haven two-bedroom family villa on Norwegian Jewel for a seven-night Alaska cruise in August 2024, for example, was going for $13,978 per person, based on double occupancy. That's more than 13 times the cost of the least expensive inside cabin (which was starting at $1,058 per person, based on double occupancy).

The best Norwegian Cruise Line ship for every type of traveler

is norwegian a good cruise line

One thing you need to know upfront about going on a Norwegian cruise is that there are a lot of extra charges — and sometimes quite high extra charges — on the line's ships, particularly for things like restaurants. Around 17% smaller than Norwegian's biggest vessels, Prima and Viva are the first tow of six sister ships that the line will roll out between now and 2027 that will significantly change the composition of its fleet. While not the biggest vessels in the Norwegian fleet, these ships will be notably packed with restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and decktop attractions. They also mark a more upscale turn for the line, with more space per passenger than earlier Norwegian ships and lots of suites. Another feature that sets Norwegian Cruise Line apart from other cruise lines is its onboard entertainment. The cruise line offers a variety of shows, ranging from Broadway-style productions to comedy acts and live music.

Good Bars and Drinks

Guppies is for the youngest sailors and offers a place for parents to interact with their children who are between the ages of 6 months and 3 years old, as well as those still in diapers. Something that I have noticed onboard some of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ships, such as Norwegian Viva, is the crowded pool area. We have been able to sail to some great international destinations with Norwegian Cruise Line several times now, all due to their affordable prices. Sometimes these Free At Sea promotions can be a great deal and can offer some serious savings. Because of this, they should not be dismissed; however, I recommend that prospective Norwegian guests always read the fine print to fully understand the deal they are signing up for. Part of NCL's Free At Sea offerings is the Free At Sea promotion, which is frequently run by NCL and allows guests to pick and choose from a list of available promotions to further customize their vacation.

Asia Cruises

is norwegian a good cruise line

They’re both part of Norwegian’s Breakaway Plus class, offer very similar itineraries in Alaska and the Caribbean, and were built one year apart (2018 and 2019, respectively). However, Bliss has a smaller racetrack and a smaller laser tag area, which are two of the biggest hits on Encore. Encore, though, lacks the very popular Spice H2O outdoor adult-only bar area. There are some things onboard the ship that are just overpriced, like the wifi. For an excursion that would cost $200 with a company if you book yourself, expect to pay $400 with Norwegian cruises. However, internet on NCL is more expensive than other large cruise ships which is really crud if you’re someone like us that works online or if you just really like streaming Netflix while on vacation.

Canada & New England Cruises

The Norwegian Getaway casino encircles the area on Deck 7, and smoke drifts to restaurants and clubs on the decks above and below. It also leads to some bottlenecking as passengers make their way through. Adding to the chaos is Norwegian's Freestyle dining concept which, while much adored on the line's smaller ships, can seem onerous on Norwegian Getaway, which has a total capacity of 3,963 passengers. However, while Norwegian Encore is big enough to offer something for everyone, it clearly caters more to some people than others.

For this reason, frequent cruisers may prefer the more lively private islands, such as Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay. Since Norwegian Cruise Line does a great job of having something onboard for nearly everyone in the family, it's a great choice for multigenerational family vacations and adventures. Splash Academy is for any cruise that falls between the ages of 3 and 12. Here, they'll be able to enjoy creative play, sports, themed parties, and more. Plus, unlike Guppies, parents won't have to hang around, as all activities are supervised by trained crew members. Those who love to cruise are often able to find exceptional cruise itineraries at affordable prices with Norwegian Cruise Line; however, it can be important to read the fine print to avoid any frustrations during a cruise.

Extraordinary Journeys

Review: Norwegian Cruise Line Prima - NerdWallet

Review: Norwegian Cruise Line Prima.

Posted: Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

As someone who has cruised with Norwegian several times, I can share both the pros and the cons of doing an NCL cruise. Get the latest cruise deals and vacation specials sent straight to your inbox. Both lines excel in entertainment, though they take different approaches. Norwegian's Splash Academy keeps kids ages 5-12 happy with all the usual creative games and crafts, plus a Circus School.

Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Over a Dozen Voyages in 2025 — What to Know - Travel + Leisure

Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Over a Dozen Voyages in 2025 — What to Know.

Posted: Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Weekend Cruises

In fact, for a long time, the regions were so much the focus that the line included "Caribbean" in its name. Some of Norwegian's most exciting itineraries are in Europe, where the line is a significant player. It offers a wide range of itineraries in the Mediterranean and across northern Europe.

There are drink packages included in the Free at Sea promotion, however you should be aware that there are extra costs of a gratuity on the value of the package. As well, not all drinks are included, so you may want to purchase a Starbuck’s package for coffee, which costs about $15 per day, and you have to get it for every passenger in your room. The casino onboard Norwegian cruises is large, has an enclosed smoking area (on certain ships) and even has a small buffet.

Norwegian Cruise Line, commonly referred to as NCL, is a popular cruise line that was founded in 1966 by Knut Kloster and Ted Arison, who also co-founded Carnival Cruise Line. Norwegian Cruise Line is headquartered in Miami, Florida, and is currently part of the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which also includes Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Norwegian is unfortunately known for having crowded pools and pool areas.

Sun worshippers might be disappointed in the compressed pool and complimentary sun deck spaces, with outdoor thrill rides and extra-fee sun decks spanning a huge chunk of the ship's top decks. Families with young children are stuck with the Norwegian Encore Splash Academy, a windowless space in the bowels of the ship; a small water play area, and restaurants and shows that are very much geared toward adults. NCL’s generally lower fares and cruising atmosphere geared towards a younger clientele (I think it is one of the best cruise ships for young people) make it a popular choice for young couples and families. Today, NCL boasts a fleet of modern mega-ships, some recently renovated, and provides a casual onboard experience with a focus on dining, entertainment, and innovative features. From no dining times to multiple times for shows throughout a cruise, Norwegian does a great job of allowing guests a lot of flexibility throughout the day to make the most out of their cruise vacation.

In early fall, Getaway usually repositions to the US for Caribbean and North Atlantic itineraries. I have experienced efficient and speedy embarkation and disembarkation processes during all of my NCL sailings. Once it is embarkation day, guests are looking to get onboard as soon as possible and to start enjoying their cruise. Norwegian Cruise Line does a good job of getting all their passengers onboard sooner, so that they can start enjoying their vacation.

There are also be activities like trivia, Deal or No Deal and art auctions hosted throughout the cruise. Norwegian has the bulk of its ships in North America but also sails to destinations around the world. Both lines offer a roster of games and contests tied to popular TV shows. Carnival has shipboard versions of "Deal or No Deal" and "Family Feud," while Norwegian runs "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Price is Right" games (complete with prizes).

is norwegian a good cruise line

If it's swanky digs you're after (and you have the money to spend), you'll find plenty of options on these ships. The Haven collection features the most luxurious staterooms located at the top of the ship. You’ll have access to a concierge and 24-hour butler, plus the private sundeck (complete with pool and hot tub) reserved just for Haven guests.

In particular in the evening time, there are always a variety shows and musical performances happening.

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