Aboard Norwegian Prima: Bringing Modern Luxury to Cruising
Norwegian Prima is the first of six ships to launch from Norwegian Cruise Line in their brand new Prima Class. With a focus on wide-open spaces, outdoor living, health and wellness, dining and private luxury, Prima sets a new standard for cruising.
The Christening
Several performances took place aboard the ship in Reykjavík, Iceland and it was none other than global superstar and godmother to the Norwegian Prima, Katy Perry , who officially christened the Vessel that evening.
The singer took the main stage where she officially named and christened the ship with the ceremonial breaking of the champagne bottle across the hull of the ship. She then gave a show-stopping hour long performance where she performed some of her biggest hits.
Destinations and Excursions
The ship offers many cruise options: from Amsterdam to Copenhagen, Copenhagen to Southampton, New York to Bermuda, New York to Reykjavik and all throughout the Caribbean. Cruises range from 7 to 10 days on board with 5-7 ports of call, offering a vast number of excursions to best explore destinations.
Norwegian Prima will embark on a transatlantic journey from London to Scotland, then onto Iceland, Nova Scotia and New York. In Iceland, a must visit is the Golden Circle at the Thingvellir national park in Reykjavik, adorned with breath-taking scenery and moss-covered lava plains. In Halifax, tour the iconic towns of Nova Scotia filled with colourful cottages, museums, art galleries and cosy cafés.
For a more European and historically-focused cruise, set sail from the “Venice of the North” on the Amsterdam to Copenhagen trip. Visit the enlightening city of Hamburg and take a private tour of the must-see spots of Berlin. Walk the historical town of Gdansk and visit St. Mary’s Church and Oliwa Cathedral for a special musical performance. Cycle around the town of Tallinn and you will not miss the bright Kadriorg Palace built by Peter the Great. See Stockholm by land and sea with a tour of the city and medieval Old Town, followed by a Royal Canal tour.
If you prefer relaxing by the ocean, the Caribbean cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and the Bahamas is the trip for you. Take a swim with the dolphins in Cozumel or explore the town by trolley. Ride around Grand Cayman in a 4×4 Jeep Wrangler to visit the nature and wildlife in Barkers National Park. Parasail, snorkel, explore the ancient Mayan ruins or simply lounge oceanside at the other tropical destinations.
Design
Frank Del Rio, known for his work with Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, is responsible for the upscale rebranding for this class of NCL ships. Prima has many other contributors as well, such as Miami-based Studio Dado’s Penrose Atrium aboard. This glass-walled three-story Atrium is one of a kind, featuring the Penrose Bar, Whiskey Bar and Starbucks. Italian designer, Piero Lissoni, has also graced Prima with his designs, in The Haven, the private most-luxe area of the ship. Along with having an award-winning architecture firm, the Rockwell Group, Lissoni is also responsible for creating the ultimate environment for relaxation in Prima’s spa and fitness amenities.
Cabins
The staterooms on Norwegian Prima range from the Studio all the way to The Haven, with five other choices in between. The studio is a petite room, perfect for the solo traveler with access to an exclusive studio lounge. Inside is a sophisticated stateroom that can sleep up to four guests, located on the interior of the ship. This stateroom has all your amenities but does not have an ocean view.
Oceanview is a similar layout to Inside but gives you that beautiful teal sparkle coming off the ocean. The Balcony stateroom has floor-to-ceiling doors opening up to the ocean, as well as a sitting area. The Club Suite Balcony is just a step up from Balcony with sparkling wine, complimentary laundry and pressing service and pre-booking for dining and entertainment on board. Next, the Suite. The Suite has the highest end amenities including a 24-hour butler, personal escort on and off the ship, invitations to exclusive parties and delicious treats delivered nightly.
For the ultimate luxury, The Haven is the private escape for the most opulent cruise lover. The Haven can sleep up to 8 guests with amenities that include an exclusive sundeck pool & valet, exclusive Haven Restaurant and Lounge, private hot tubs and sundecks and a private elevator. The Haven houses everything you need and is your own private bubble within the ship, so you never have to visit the main decks if you wish, although they are quite extravagant as well.
Explore the Ship
The outdoor elements on Norwegian Prima are truly what set this ship apart. Ocean Boulevard is a large outdoor deck with 360° ocean views, a glass Oceanwalk bridge that allows you to experience a walk over the water, the Infinity Beach with loungers and an infinity pool blending right into the horizon and the Indulge fire pit and lounge area. Whether you are swimming, strolling or lounging on a hammock, daybed or private cabana, there is a place for everyone to relax on Ocean Boulevard.
The boulevard includes many dining options at Indulge – a world food hall where you can order items to your table electronically so no waiting around. Tamara (Indian dishes) and Q Texas Smokehouse were firm favourites. The quality of the Indian food was world class and the dosa at dinner was a daily highlight. Around every corner of Prima you will find a food or beverage option to indulge in.
Dining
The number of restaurants and dining options on Norwegian Prima is quite remarkable but to experience the best of dining on board, careful planning and pre booking is essential. The buffet is plentiful and look out for themed lunches like a seafood extravaganza. One notable speciality choice is Onda by Scarpetta, the result of a collaboration with LDV Hospitality to bring Scarpetta’s signature Italian dishes to the sea including the famous spaghetti tomato and basil dish.
The ship also has a Japanese restaurant Hasuki, which offers a modern and upscale Hibachi experience with Japanese inspired minimalist décor, pottery and artwork. As well as Hibachi, the ship will have Nama, a contemporary sushi and sashimi restaurant with a marble sushi bar and orange-toned ambient lighting to set the mood.
NCL is known for their Mexican option on board, Los Lobos, bringing unique flavour combinations to authentic Mexican cuisine with a colourful yet sophisticated design. Enjoy a refreshing margarita with guacamole made tableside and dine al fresco with an ocean view.
The classical French restaurant, Le Bistro, serves signature French cuisine in a romantic and elegant setting. Inspired by the Palace of Mirrors in Versailles, the design features floor-to-ceiling chandeliers and plaster molding wall details.
Palomar is Norwegian’s first-ever Mediterranean restaurant, making seafood the star attraction and creating dishes from the finest ingredients. This restaurant is set in a more relaxing environment and uses simple ingredients to create classic sophisticated dishes, nothing short of spectacular.
Another option for premium dining is at Cagney’s Steakhouse, a traditional American steakhouse serving Certified Angus Beef® and their famous Parmesan dusted truffle fries. The design is inspired by the 20th century modern architecture of Chicago, bringing yet another global dining experience on deck. Ask for a window table which feels like your own private sea view dining room.
Relaxation
The brand new Mandara Spa on Norwegian Prima is beyond all of its competitors. The spa offers all of your traditional services, but the real highlight is the amenities. NCL is debuting their first infrared and first charcoal sauna at sea, as well as a steam room, salt room, ice room, vitality pool, infrared sauna, floatation salt pool and a two-floor waterfall.
The charcoal sauna is inspired by Japanese and Korean wellness practices, using a radiant heat system with a charcoal layer on the outside and reaching temperatures between 86-122 degrees Fahrenheit. This sauna helps guests fully relax while boosting their metabolism, removing toxins and treating muscle stiffness. After warming up, you can visit the ice room and cool off while increasing blood circulation and strengthening the respiratory and immune system.
The Mandara Spa is the perfect place to destress and detox after a workout in one of the fitness facilities on board. The new service menu includes offerings like an ocean spa wave massage, bringing you even closer to the ocean and resting you on a warm water-filled cushion wrapped in nutrient-rich sea plants and algae. A one-of-a-kind Zero Gravity Wellness Massage is also offered, suspending your body on an advanced treatment table and performing sophisticated massage techniques to reach every muscle group, release tension in your body and leave you feeling rejuvenated. There are also 22 hot stone loungers available in the relaxation area to unwind as well as a fully equipped gym.
Activities
If you tend to be more of a doer, there are still plenty of options on Norwegian Prima as well. For the adrenaline junkies, The Prima Speedway (a three-level race track) is the most ambitious race track at sea, allowing you to imagine yourself at the Grand Prix while you can race your go-kart up to top speeds of 50kph.
You must also try The Drop, the first free-fall slide at sea in the world, or race your friends on The Rush, the duelling water slide on board. The ship also offers plenty of gaming areas, like the Galaxy Pavilion featuring a flying simulator and TopGolf Swing Suite, and of course a casino. For kids, the Aqua Park and Splash Academy offer entertainment, sports and games.
Entertainment
There is never a dull moment on Norwegian Prima and it is widely known that NCL offer some of the best entertainment options at sea. The Tony Award®-nominated, Broadway musical, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, is one of the entertainment highlights this ship offers. Creating a multi-sensory experience, this Broadway show features high-energy choreography and acrobatics, as well as special lighting, making an immersive experience for the viewer.
There is also a first-of-its-kind theatre that transforms in minutes into a three-floor Vegas-style nightclub on board, featuring a SENSORIA theme to bring high-energy and club vibes so you can dance late into the night.
A unique real-life gameshow extravaganza is another entertainment option on board where guest can try their luck at some of their favourite game shows including The Price is Right LIVE, Supermarket Sweep LIVE, Press Your Luck LIVE and Beat the Clock LIVE. The ship also has stand-up comedy shows, classic rock bands and plenty of immersive gaming experiences available to enjoy.
Sustainability
As this great ship sails across many oceans, Norwegian Prima is committed to maintaining a positive impact on the environment with their sustainability program, Sail and Sustain. NCL has created a Sail and Sustain program to protect the oceans and the environment. The goals of the program are to minimise waste to landfills, reduce CO2 emission rates, increase sustainable sourcing and invest in emerging technologies.
Their ESG strategy is focused around five main pillars: Reducing Environmental Impact, Empowering People, Strengthening Communities, Sailing Safety and Operating With Integrity And Accountability. Some highlights from this program are the inclusion of onboard food digestors reducing overall waste, cold ironing to reduce emissions and a trim stabiliser that uses software to optimise and monitor stability levels.
The vessel also carries many sustainable focused brands on board to incorporate sustainability efforts into the much loved cocktail culture. This includes Flor de Caña rum whose family run business tracks their 100% renewable energy distilled rum from the Nicaraguan fields to the bottle, as sustainability has been their number one priority for the last 130 years since the rum came to life.
Bars
With a choice of 19 bars and lounges, you are never short of somewhere new to explore. Be sure to explore and plan the options as they include many new and specialised options like the Belvedere Bar, Whiskey Bar and a brilliant indoor cigar lounge. Look out for a range of bottled and can cocktails if you are on the go too.
Photo: Luxuriate Life Magazine
The Metropolitan Bar on board Prima will craft zero-waste cocktails and offer biodynamic wines, along with a sustainable spirit menu. Wherever you’d like to kick back and enjoy a cocktail, the premium drinks package ensures you will have a huge choice of drinks and cocktails available. There are also more premium options available at a charge like a glass of Johnnie Walker Blue Label or the ultimate Louis XIII served on a celebratory tray in the trade mark Baccarat glasses. Our favourite bar is the Observation Lounge – a stunning 360 degree lounge which has an instant relaxed feel to it.
In a nutshell
Norwegian Prima has thought of it all, bringing a new standard of modern luxury to Norwegian Cruise Lines and elevating the cruise experience. This massive floating upscale retreat will make it difficult to go back to life on the land.
