Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest cruise ship, Norwegian Aqua, has officially set sail in Europe in a long-awaited debut. As the first vessel in Norwegian’s brand-new Prima Plus class, Norwegian Aqua incorporates modern luxury with bold innovation and boundary-pushing thrills.
Norwegian Aqua is a major evolution for the cruise line, featuring an enhanced design, cutting-edge amenities and one-of-a-kind onboard attractions. One of the ship’s standout features is the Aqua Slidecoaster, the world’s first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide on a cruise ship.
The newest ship from Norwegian Cruise Line is bigger than earlier Prima class ships, allowing for more outdoor spaces, staterooms and public areas. At 156,000 gross tons, Norwegian Aqua can hold an impressive 3,571 passengers at double occupancy.
With the ship’s recent debut in Lisbon, Portugal, we are starting to see the first photos circulating online of the brand-new Norwegian Aqua. We can now see many of the distinct features of Norwegian Aqua, including the ship’s pool deck, lounges, bars, staterooms and thrills.
Here’s a first look at Norwegian’s newest ship from photos taken by Michaela Freehand and shared on the Facebook page, NCL AQUA 2025.
Sophisticated, Elevated Design
Similar to other Prima class ships, Norwegian Aqua features a sleek, stylish and bold aesthetic. While sister ships Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva showcase lighter designs, we can see Norwegian Aqua embodies a moodier, warmer ambiance.
In fact, Norwegian Aqua resembles a boutique hotel design with rich tones and textures throughout the ship. Photos of the ship’s lounges and bars show marble countertops, moody lighting and upscale decor. The modern aesthetic elevates the ship’s luxurious feel - even as a mainstream cruise ship.
Reimagined Staterooms
Norwegian Cruise Line has long been recognized for its forward-thinking stateroom design, and Norwegian Aqua continues that tradition. With this, Norwegian Aqua’s staterooms feature warm and soothing tones, similar to the rest of the ship.
In the pictures shared online, we can see the design, layout and functionality of a standard balcony cabin. The balcony stateroom embodies a sophisticated design with a textured sofa, abstract wall art, warm lighting and many thoughtful details. The balcony itself has cozy furnishings, including padded, woven-style chairs. Again, the stateroom design appears more like a boutique hotel room than a standard cruise ship cabin.
Exciting and Innovative Onboard Thrills
One of the most exciting attractions on Norwegian Aqua is the brand-new, first-of-its-kind Aqua Slidecoaster. The innovative thrill is a hybrid between a rollercoaster and waterslide, and it’s the world’s first slidecoaster on a cruise ship!
The thrilling ride snakes around the top deck of Norwegian Aqua - and we can see a small glimpse of that design in a photo shared of the pool deck. Norwegian Cruise Line describes the exhilarating ride as a two-person thrill that “launches you into another dimension with rip-roaring high speeds”. The new hybrid coaster takes the place of the racetrack on earlier Prima class ships.
In addition to the Aqua Slidecoaster, Norwegian Aqua also features “The Drop” dry slide. This 10-story slide weaves you around the side of the ship in a “jaw dropping, heart-stopping, ride of your life."
Expanded Pool Deck
One of the major complaints from cruisers who sailed on Norwegian’s Prima class ships was the small pool area. By removing the racetrack and expanding the top deck, Norwegian Cruise Line was able to double the space available for the pool deck.
Other improvements were made to the pool deck as well, such as the addition of the brand-new infinity edge and two infinity hot tubs. With expanded seating and new spacious daybeds on the pool deck, Norwegian Aqua’s pool deck looks unrecognizable compared to earlier Prima class ships.
Hudson’s, Nama & More: Elevated Dining on Board
Norwegian’s Prima class ships have been renowned for innovative dining, including the first-ever food hall at sea, Indulge Food Hall. Adding to this success, Norwegian Cruise Line incorporated even more dining options aboard Norwegian Aqua.
In the photos shared online, we can see the entry to Hudson’s, which is the main dining room aboard. Refined menus are paired with sweeping views of the ocean and floor-to-ceiling windows and upscale decor.
Norwegian Aqua also features Nama, which is the ship’s dedicated sushi and sashimi bar. The entrance showcases a black-and-gold entrance while the inside of the restaurant shows where chefs will prepare fresh sushi for you. This is sure to be on of Aqua’s standout dining experiences for cruisers.
Other new venues onboard include Sukhothai, the cruise line’s first-ever Thai specialty restaurant, and The Planterie, which will offer plant-based meals.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
