After sailing on 7 different cruise lines, I decided it was time to give Norwegian a try.
My friend and I booked a 4-night cruise on Norwegian Aqua, the line's newest ship, out of New York City, to see what makes NCL a tried-and-true favorite for so many cruisers.
Although Norwegian Aqua is NCL's newest ship, she isn't the largest. Still, there's a good variety of entertainment, dining, and amenities to please just about every type of traveler.
Generally speaking, there wasn't too much to complain about. I loved the ship's design and how stylish it was. The atrium, for example, felt more like a boutique hotel than a typical cruise ship lobby.
However, there were a few things that I didn't love about Norwegian Aqua, including the poor crowd management. That said, the cons wouldn't deter me from choosing another Norwegian cruise in the future!
First, I loved my cabin
I chose the cheapest cabin on my Norwegian cruise, and it was perfect for our short getaway. The standard inside cabin cost $2,456.22, including taxes, port fees, gratuities, and the inclusive "More at Sea" package.
Being an inside cabin, it lacked natural light, and it wasn't the largest cruise room I've ever stayed in. However, it surprised me with its smart storage options, complimentary TV options, bathroom, and modern design.
For instance, there was just about every kind of outlet available, from USB to USB-C and standard American and European plugs.
The shower deserves praise, too. Instead of being tucked into the corner with the toilet facing the sink, the shower was positioned along the entire wall.
As such, it felt more spacious than older cruise ship showers. It also featured two shelves for toiletries. On top of that, there were four different water pressure settings.
At the end of the day, my inside cabin on Norwegian Aqua wasn't anything fancy, but it had all the fixings to be comfortable and functional.
Read more: Norwegian Aqua Cruise Ship Inside Cabin Photos + Review
I hated the crowd management
One of the worst parts about my Norwegian cruise was the poor crowd management. Whether it was boarding, attending a show, trying to find a place to sit at the Indulge Food Hall, or disembarkation, everything was a little chaotic and disorganized.
The entertainment was the worst. Norwegian prides itself on its "Freestyle Cruising" mantra. Instead of worrying about reservations, you simply show up to the events and shows that interest you.
In theory, that sounds great. Who wants to spend their vacation working around a strict schedule? However, people would arrive an hour early to claim seats. If you showed up 20 to 30 minutes before showtime (like we did), you'd be stuck standing in the theater.
Although packed shows are common on ships, I prefer cruise lines that use a reservation system for their popular shows.
That way, you don't have to worry about claiming a seat (so long as you make a reservation), and those without reservations can still try their luck of getting in through the standby line. It's far less frustrating than blocking out an hour of your time waiting.
I loved Norwegian's "More at Sea" deal
Cruises are a more inclusive way to travel compared to land-based trips, where you have to budget separately for accommodations, meals, and entertainment. But unless you're shelling out money for luxury lines, they're rarely all-inclusive.
Some cruise lines, including Norwegian, have started offering bundles where you can combine perks like drink packages and Wi-Fi for a lower price than purchasing them individually.
For our cruise aboard Norwegian Aqua, we opted to upgrade to the "More at Sea" deal. It cost $280 for two people, or $35 per person, per night.
"More at Sea" included one specialty meal, 75 minutes of Wi-Fi per person, an unlimited drink package, and a $50 shore excursion credit (that we didn't use due to an itinerary change).
Still, for the price, we were extremely happy with the value of the package. We were able to indulge in craft cocktails and try out the Norwegian Aqua-exclusive Sukhothai restaurant without worrying about additional charges.
In comparison, cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival charge over $60 per person, per day for the drink package alone. We wanted to try Sukhothai, which would have cost $50 out-of-pocket without the "More at Sea" package, too.
Read more: 4 cruise ships to book right now instead of Royal Caribbean's expensive Star of the Seas
I hated that there wasn't a complimentary adults-only sun deck
Norwegian Aqua didn't have a dedicated adults-only deck — at least one that was available to passengers for free.
The Vibe Beach Club at the aft of the ship came with an extra charge. As such, it limited access to those who were willing to pay for the child-free space.
Although it offered plush lounge chairs, private whirlpools, and personalized bar service, it didn't seem worth the cost. In fact, we couldn't even debate whether it was worth it, as it was sold out by the time we boarded on embarkation day.
Pricing for NCL's Vibe Beach Club varies depending on ship and itinerary length. However, it's not uncommon to see rates as high as $230 per person for a 7-night cruise.
I loved the food variety
The food variety on Norwegian Aqua was outstanding. The Indulge Food Hall featured multiple different kiosks, all dishing up different cuisine — from Indian to Mexican, tasty pasta dishes, BBQ, and more.
That's not all, though. The ship boasted an impressive selection of specialty restaurants, including the first-ever Thai restaurant at sea.
My advice? Go hungry. My friend and I sampled multiple appetizers, including the Thai spring rolls, Som Tum, and chicken satay, before moving on to our entrées. The red curry wasn't as spicy as I expected, but it was flavorful and rich.
There's also no cap on how many desserts you can order. Our waiter ended up bringing us one of everything. My two favorites were the refreshing lychee sorbet and mango sticky rice.
Other specialty restaurants aboard Norwegian Aqua include Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro, Los Lobos, Palomar, Hasuki, Nama, and Onda by Scarpetta.
Even the complimentary dining rooms had a decent variety of dishes, ranging from cheese ravioli with a lobster cream sauce to the bacon and bourbon-glazed chicken breast, vegetable pad thai, bang bang chicken and shrimp, and more.
Read more: 60 Best Norwegian Cruise Line Tips, Tricks & Hacks
I hated the poor communication from Norwegian Cruise Line
I'll admit that I didn't get the best first impression of Norwegian Cruise Line.
Initially, our 4-night cruise was supposed to call at Bermuda. However, we quickly realized this wasn't going to happen due to Hurricane Erin, but we didn't get any updates from NCL until the day before embarkation.
Instead of sailing to Bermuda, our new itinerary took us to St. John, New Brunswick. Weather-related itinerary changes are understandable, but the lack of timely communication was frustrating.
That wasn't the only time we experienced poor communication, either. When we were checking in at the NYC terminal, we were told to fill out the Canadian customs form.
They didn't provide clear instructions on how to fill the sheet out, though. After locating a spare pen, we took turns filling out the required paperwork before joining the long line to head to the gangway.
We were stopped seconds before, when agents double-checked that the forms were correctly filled out. They didn't tell us what was wrong with the paperwork, just that it was not right. Because of that, we awkwardly stood off to the side while we tried to figure out what we did wrong.
A few minutes later, we found a port employee who told us that writing "NCL Aqua" wasn't sufficient for the ship name — it had to be spelled out in its entirety as "Norwegian Aqua." Additionally, the date in the bottom right-hand corner had to be the date of the ship's scheduled visit to Canada, rather than the embarkation date.
In total, it took us over 45 minutes from the time we dropped off our suitcases, went through security, had our documentation checked, and dealt with the customs forms to board the ship. Better communication with the latter would have expedited the embarkation experience.
Finally, the crew members miscommunicated about how to book specialty restaurants on embarkation day.
One crew member told us to go to the Aqua Theater. However, the reservations desk had closed by the time we arrived. Then, we were instructed to go to Guest Services, where we waited in line for 30 minutes, only to be sent to the Japanese restaurant.
Finally, I loved the onboard attractions
Ships like Icon of the Seas and Carnival Celebration get a lot of attention for their innovative features and entertainment options. However, I was impressed with the attractions on Norwegian Aqua, particularly the Aqua Slidecoaster and Tee Time mini-golf.
The latter isn't included, but it's worth the $5-per-person charge. The interactive mini-golf course has holes themed after different destinations around the world, from Greece to New York, Alaska, Jamaica, London, and more.
Plus, you don't have to worry about keeping score with a pencil and a flimsy sheet of paper. The electronic scoring system automatically records each putt.
The Aqua Slidecoaster was a lot of fun, too (though I'm certain we would have enjoyed it more if it weren't 60°F outside!).
Unlike the other Prima Class ships, Norwegian Aqua doesn't have a go-kart track; it was replaced with the Aqua Slidecoaster, which is part roller coaster and part water slide.
After sitting down in the inflatable tube (you can ride solo or with another guest in a double), a robotic arm whisks you up a steep incline before sending you plunging through twists and turns.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
