Norwegian Cruise Line is of the largest cruise lines in the world, but which of its ships is the biggest?
There are 18 ships in the NCL fleet, with another due next year. Along with its sheer number of ships, Norwegian Cruise Line also has some of the largest vessels at sea in the cruise line industry.
NCL recently debuted its newest ship, the Norwegian Prima last month, and while this ship carries with it much excitement, and brings new amenities and experiences to guests, the Norwegian Prima is not the largest vessel in NCL’s fleet. In fact, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest class of ships, the Prima Class, will not be close in terms of size to the largest ships NCL currently has.
Which cruise ship is the largest in the fleet?
NCL’s largest ship is the Norwegian Escape. The Norwegian Escape is one of four ships in the NCL Breakaway Plus Class of ship. The Escape measures at 1,069 feet in overall length, and is able to accommodate up to 4,266 guests and 1,733 crew members. This is the largest number of guests a ship can hold in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. The ship comes in at 164,998 gross register tonnage, and was originally constructed in 2015. The ship has not yet received a refurbishment, but most likely will in the future.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway Plus Class is known amongst the NCL fleet for their large-scale ships. The smallest ship in the Breakaway Plus Class is the Norwegian Joy. The Norwegian Joy measures at 1,094 feet in overall length, while this is actually larger in length than the Escape, the Joy can accommodate less guests, at a number of 3,804 passengers and 1,821 crew members. The Norwegian Joy made its debut to the fleet in 2017, but recently underwent a refurbishment in 2019.
Norwegian Escape specifics & decks
The Norwegian Escape features 20 Decks onboard. This is substantial space aboard a cruise ship for guests to explore and discover. Decks 1-4 are restricted areas of the ship reserved to crew members only.
Deck 5 consists of mostly staterooms. As well as the Splash Academy, the kids club onboard for children 5 to 12 years of age. The Guppies Nursery is also located on this deck, this is the area for young children younger than the age of 5.
Deck 6 is one consisting of largely public spaces. Guests can find the following locations on this deck; Savor Restaurant, Taste Restaurant, The Private Room at Taste, Teppanyaki Specialty Dining, Le Bistro Specialty Dining, Atrium Cafe, Headliner’s Comedy Club, Mixx Bar, Atrium Bar, The Supper Club, and Perspectives Studio.
Deck 7 is also all public venues including; O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill, The Manhattan Room, Skyline Bar, Malevo, Main Theater, Escape Casino, 678 Ocean Place.
Deck 8 consists of a mixture of staterooms and public areas. This is where guests will find the main stores and shopping onboard, as well as several specialty dining and bar locations. Venues on this deck include; Bayamo by Ocean Blue, Food Republic, Modern Churrascaria, Cagney’s Steakhouse, La Cucina, Pincho Tapas Bar, Prime Meridian Specialty Dining, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, The Cellars - A Michael Monday Family Wine Bar, Tobacco Road, The District Brew House, Carolina Herrera store, The Photo Gallery shop, Tradewinds Shop, Lacosta store, Sandbar Shop, The Beauty Shop, The Jewel Box store, The Tides Shop, and The Time Zone Shop.
Decks 9-15 are made up of exclusively stateroom cabins. Many of the luxury staterooms can be found on these decks, including some of the Haven Suites, and many of the balcony cabin suites.
Deck 16 has some cabins (14 to be exact), as well as several public venues. This deck features the Mandara spa and fitness center, as well as The Haven Lounge, Spa Thermal Suite, and main pool deck and Aqua Park, as well as the main buffet onboard, the Garden Cafe.
Deck 17 has many of the ultra luxury rooms onboard, including The Haven Deluxe Owner’s Suite with Large Balcony. This deck has public areas such as the American Diner Specialty Restaurant, the adult-only area Spice H20, the Video Arcade, and the teens’ club onboard, Entourage.
Deck 18 consists of mostly Haven suites, but also has some unique and fun public venues. Including the Ropes Course, and Mini Golf.
Deck 19 is smaller, but offers two outdoor venues. The Vibe Beach Club, which is an access-pass only area, and the Sports Complex where guests can engage in a game of basketball at sea.
Deck 20 is the tallest, as well as smallest deck onboard. This deck features the Sun Deck, an area with extra lounge chairs for guests to enjoy. Deck 20 is also where the tops of the impressive waterslides are located, including the Aqua Racer and Free Fall slides.
Some Norwegian Escape highlights
NCL’s largest guest capacity ship offers many fun and entertaining activities for passengers to enjoy onboard. The ship has some Norwegian Cruise Line classics, as well as unique areas for guests to explore.
Ropes Course
The Ropes Course at sea is a Norwegian Cruise Line classic, featured on several NCL vessels. This fun and exciting activity is for passengers of all ages, both children and adults. The course features several zip lines, two over-the-water Planks, and consists of over 99 different challenges for guests to navigate. Something to note, it is important to wear shirts with sleeves (no tank tops) when participating in this activity onboard.
Aqua Racer and Free Fall
Norwegian Cruise Line is known to house some impressive waterslides onboard it’s ships, and the Norwegian Escape is no different. Guests can race each other via the Aqua Racer, a tandem waterslide at sea. Or passengers can test their capacity for thrills on the Free Fall, currently the fastest waterslide at sea!
Snow Room
This unique room is part of the Thermal Spa Suite onboard the Escape. Intended to help stimulate blood circulation, guests can relax in this cool (literally) room. Entrance to the Thermal Spa Suite onboard is an extra charge, and guests can purchase a pass at the Spa for the duration of their cruise.
Mini Golf
The Norwegian Escape has a mini golf course at sea, complete with 9 holes. Guests can enjoy an afternoon in the sun testing their skill levels.
Malevo Show
Created by Matias Jaime, this traditional Argentine folk dance show makes its appearance onboard. This impressive show has been featured as an “official cultural ambassador to the national identity of Argentina”. Malevo has also been performed around the world in Las Vegas, New York, Cairo, Dubai, Paris, and Montreal. This show is sure to both inspire and entertain guests.
Bamboozled
Described to passengers as an activity and a show where “you’ll join forces with other guests to help our superhero escape the ship to foil an evil villain’s plan before its too late. Save this time on your schedule if you want to try and save our super hero and save the world,” this interactive show and activity is offered to guests onboard the Norwegian Escape.
The Cellars and District Brew House
Guests who enjoy wine and beer are in for two great experiences onboard the Escape. The Cellars - A Michael Mondavi Family Wine Bar is a beautiful venue designed with wine-lovers in mind. At this location guests can either grab a glass and enjoy the atmosphere, or participate in a tasting classes or programs with various wine experts. The Cellars was also the first-ever wine bar located on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship when it debuted.
The District Brew House is the must-visit location for guest who enjoy beer on tap. This venue has over 50 different beers on tap, including beer exclusive to the Norwegian Escape. The District also features live music throughout cruise sailings.
Pincho Tapas Bar and Food Republic
Passengers will be able to find plenty of great food options onboard the Escape to satisfy any taste. Two interesting spots onboard are Food Republic and Pincho Tapas Bar, both featuring international flavors and cuisine.
Food Republic brings flavors from across the globe to this venue. Guests can find cuisine from Mexico, Japan, Thailand, and many other countries at this food location.
Pincho Tapas Bar is a fun and lively food spot for guests to sip on sangria, and sample traditional small plates of Spanish cuisine, known as Tapas.
Norwegian Escape destinations
“Get ready to sail on one of the most exciting ships on the seas! Norwegian Escape is ready to whisk you away on The Caribbean from Miami to Orlando, Canada & New England from New York, and the Mediterranean from Rome,” says Norwegian Cruise Line about some of the destinations that the Norwegian Escape frequents.
The Escape visits the following destinations on cruise sailings throughout the year:
- Bermuda
- Canada and New England
- The Caribbean
- Greek Isles
- Mediterranean
- Transatlantic Sailings
Conclusion
The Norwegian Escape is the largest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet in terms of how many passengers it can accommodate. The ship offers many opportunities for guests to have an excellent vacation, while enjoying one of the largest ships in the cruise line industry. For guests looking for lots of entertainment, dining, and activity options for their next cruise vacation, the Norwegian Escape may be an excellent ship to choose.
Hayley Phillips
Hayley Phillips is a military spouse currently living in Florida and loves all things travel and travel planning.
