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Many of Norwegian's biggest ships have state-of-the-art theaters as big as those you'd find on Broadway, with big-name productions to match. Norwegian Bliss, for instance, has the Tony Award-winning "Jersey Boys." Norwegian cruises are very unstructured vacations, and that's by design. As mentioned above, the line also operates one ship (Pride of America) in Hawaii year-round. It's the only cruise line to offer year-round voyages in Hawaii.
Overall, I ended up liking the boat more than the port — which I think is the main draw for many cruise lovers, anyway.
I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here's how they compare - Cruise Blog
I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here's how they compare.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:57:15 GMT [source]
Plus, our Family Suites are a hop, skip and jump away from Splash Academy, our amazing youth area for kids. So kick off your flip-flops wherever you like and feel at home – at sea. 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. Here we list our top picks for the best Norwegian cruise ships for five different types of travelers. We’ve broken down the differences between these two cruise lines, including what you can expect on board and who might enjoy these types of cruises.
The Norwegian Cruise Line 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. Norwegian is also a mass-market brand, not a luxury cruise operator. Still, as we'll explain below, it offers a wide range of accommodations, some of which fall squarely in the luxury segment. In some cases, its ships have an exclusive area full of high-end cabins and suites called The Haven that comes with its own private pools, lounge areas and even restaurants.
Cabin Type
Royal Caribbean offers a slightly more upscale experience than Norwegian, as well as higher-end options when it comes to suites and dining. They’re built to host a whole bunch of amenities, including pools, live entertainment, spas, fitness centers, casinos, lounges, bars, clubs, shops and more. When comparing NCL versus Royal Caribbean, you’ll want to also think about room types. Aboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, for example, you can expect to find varying levels of accommodations, including suites, balcony rooms, virtual balcony rooms, ocean view rooms and interior rooms. With so many different companies to choose from — each with its own ships, entertainment, destinations and personality — finding the cruise experience that fits your needs can take some research.
Only solos staying in the solo cabins (via keycards) can access the Studio Lounge, meaning that you and your new solo friends will have the place to yourselves. For would-be Norwegian cruisers, Norwegian Sky's shorter sailings out of Miami serve as a sort of "test the line" opportunity. Their short time frame and low pricing mean you're not out a lot in time or money if you don't love it as much as you hoped. These shorter sailings cater heavily to first-time cruisers and Florida locals who can book on short notice and drive into the port for a quick escape. 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.
The exclusive, keycard-accessed suite complex called The Haven (found on 13 of Norwegian's 19 ships) comes with private lounges, pools and other tony features. It's essentially a small, luxury vessel that has been planted atop otherwise middle-class, mass-market megaships. These complexes appeal to well-heeled travelers who want a luxury cruising experience while also getting all the fun attractions, entertainment and dining venues only a mass-market megaship can offer. Our award-winning ships are designed for you to enjoy as you choose while cruising to beautiful destinations around the world. Add a wide range of superb dining options and spectacular entertainment and you’ll experience your best vacation ever.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT Caribbean Cruises
In short, these are the Norwegian ships to book when you want to take things up a notch. In short, there are so many family-friendly things to do on Norwegian Encore that you and your kids likely won't be able to do it all in a single, weeklong cruise. As Business Insider's aviation reporter, I typically spend as much of my time on airplanes as possible. No comparison of Norwegian Cruise Line versus Royal Caribbean is complete without talking about who should take these cruises. Here’s what you need to know about Royal Caribbean, from ship and room size to the activities you can expect on board.
Food For Any Taste. At Any Time.
Norwegian adds an automatic service charge of $20 to $25 per person, per day, to final bills, depending on your cabin category. Depending on the service you receive, you can adjust the amount up or down at the guest services desk before disembarking. In addition, a 20% gratuity is added to the bill at bars, extra-charge specialty restaurants and ship spas. The Breakaway- and Breakaway Plus-class ships have innovative outdoor promenades called The Waterfront lined with seating for many restaurants and bars.
The open-air laser tag arenas also are significant venues that are unlike anything you'll find atop the ships of other lines. The one on Norwegian Encore, which is the largest laser tag arena ever put on a ship, is themed around the lost city of Atlantis and spans the back of the vessel. In addition, several Norwegian ships offer dinner theater venues with circus-type productions, and one vessel, Norwegian Getaway, features a magic-infused dinner theater show in a steampunk-inspired space called The Illusionarium.
Norwegian Cruise Line's fleet consists of 19 ships that come in a wide range of sizes and feature differing mixes of venues and activities. Some are jampacked with fun zones that make them perfect for families, while others are geared toward couples and retirees. Some ships have attributes that make them stand out for luxury, solo or budget travelers. At 169,116 tons and carrying 3,958 passengers, Norwegian Encore is the largest ship in the Norwegian fleet. That means it has the most space for the many over-the-top family fun zones that are at the core of the four Breakaway-Plus vessels — a series of ships that was specifically designed with families in mind. Other Norwegian cruise ships, such as Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Sun, have specific features that might make them better options for solo travelers or retirees.
It'll also operate trips to Bermuda from New York City and Boston, usually with two ships, and trips to the Bahamas and the Caribbean out of Miami. Lowest pricing is based on our 3rd party pricing supplier and valid as of April 21st, 2024. San Juan is a gateway to the Caribbean with activities for everyone. Enjoy an old-world feel as you wander around Old San Juan, relax on the many beaches or explore the rainforests.
If you're sure Norwegian is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand. You want someone who understands all the little quirks that are unique to Norwegian's cabin categories and, preferably, has done ship inspections to see the cabins firsthand. A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They can also help you if something goes wrong just before, during or after your voyage. That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise (there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process — trust us) we recommend you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises.
Be the first to sail The Caribbean on board Norwegian Prima, our first ship in the new Prima class. Cruise from Galveston, Texas starting and experience incredible ports like Harvest Caye, Belize; Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's Private Island; or explore your A-B-C's in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. With 7- and 11-day sailings from this convenient departure port, you can explore the best of The Caribbean on the first of a new class of ships designed to elevate every expectation.
You'll find an exclusive, extra-charge, adults-only VIP sunning area on seven Norwegian ships called Vibe Beach Club. The biggest of these areas is on Norwegian Encore, where Vibe Beach Club is an expansive private lounge with a full-service bar, cabanas and two hot tubs designed to hold up to 270 people — far more than on other ships. Some of the extra-charge restaurants come with a flat fee (the teppanyaki outlets are $59 per person, not including the cost of drinks). 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.
Smaller only than Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises, the brand has become increasingly known for having some of the biggest, most amenity-filled vessels at sea. More than half of its fleet is comprised of vessels that, by today's standards, are considered almost midsize. You can go cave tubing in the caves of Belize City in the Western Caribbean. Or, you can immerse yourself in the exotic luxury that is the Southern Caribbean, kicking back and relaxing in St. Lucia, Barbados, or Dominica. Pick one of the Caribbean regions (Eastern, Western, Southern) for a more in-depth look at a Caribbean cruise with Norwegian. A bigger caveat, perhaps, is that these solo cabins have become so popular they often sell out far in advance and at prices that aren't much better than booking a cabin for two.
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